The Heart of a Hero
by Windskull
Summary: As darkness and evil seep their way into Hyrule, the people find themselves in desperate need of a hero. They never expected their savior would be something inhuman. As a young forest dweller steps into the open world, he finds himself struggling with an important question: what makes a monster, and what makes a hero? An Ocarina of Time adaptation where Link is a Skull Kid.
1. Prologue

_Prologue_

* * *

A wolfos stood at attention, howling it's heart out in the dark of night. Though the moon was full, it cast little light on Hyrule Field. Only a pale, thin sliver of moonlight was able to make it through the thick clouds obscuring the sky and stars.

Not clouds. Smoke. Thick smoke that raised high into the air and choked out all life.

Underneath the ashen sky, a boy and his mother ran.

The boy – no younger than eight nor older than twelve – stumbled bleary-eyed in the darkness, tripping over rocks and stumbling over roots, completely lost, if not for the grip of his mother's hand around his wrist.

He stole a glance behind them, trying to catch a glimpse of the Castle Town walls and the silhouette of the castle it was named after against the smoky sky.

But all he could see was an orange glow on the horizon.

He felt his mother tug on his arm again and stumbled forward again, trying to keep up. To his confusion, he could feel her grip weakening. As the smoke above shifted, he caught a glimpse of his mother in the moonlight, her other hand wrapped firmly around her waist, her teeth grit together tightly.

As they reached the top of a hill, his mother slowed to a stop to look back, then to look this way and that. In the distance, he heard the howling of a wolfos again, the only sound cutting through the night besides his and his mother's ragged breathing. His mother's grip tightened, and she began to run again.

"Mom?"

When she did not answer, he opened his mouth to call out to her again. He wanted to cry out and beg for her to tell them where they were going, what was wrong, why the sky was full of ash. But the words died in his throat. He breathed heavily, his legs like jelly, and continued to stumble blindly behind her. Though very little was visible, he could just barely make out the silver outline of treetops in the distance ahead of him.

The forest. Thoughts of his father's words filled his mind. _You must never venture near the forest alone_ , his father had told him many times before. _It is not safe, filled with monsters, and besides that…_ He wondered where his father, the great knight that he was, was now, and if he knew where he and his mother were.

He was torn from his thoughts as his foot caught on something in the darkness. His mother did not stop, despite his pained cry as his ankle twisted unnaturally, pulling him down. His dead weight caused his mother's grip to slip away, and the sudden loss of the weight caused her to lose balance and stumble forward, falling, unable to catch herself.

The boy coughed painfully and pushed his torso up slightly. Then he managed to push himself to his hands and knees. Pain shot up his leg as he tried to stand back up, so instead he remained on his hands and knees while he tried to catch his breath.

How had he gotten here again? The night had been a blur. He remembered being awoken to his mom's scream. There was a shout afterwards, and then… he couldn't remember, then they were running through the town, running through the fields, the crackle of fire and the barking of dogs chasing after them. Somehow, at some point, they must have lost them. He turned back to look at his mother.

She had not risen, still lying flat on the ground, her breathing ragged. For some time, she made no motion to move. But distant howling managed to knock her out of her stupor. Her head shot up in alarm. Then weakly, she tried to push herself up, but fell.

The boy crawled over to her, letting out a whining sound. "Mom? Momma, what's going on?" He asked.

Only then did the woman look over to him, her eyes squinting as she tried to make out his face. "Listen to me very carefully," the mother started in a cracked, hushed whisper, raising a hand towards her child. "Li.. Listen. You have to run without me."

The boy's gaze clouded in confusion. He leaned slightly back. His mother's hand managed to find his shoulder.

"Run into the forest. Find the great spirit there. You must beg him to let you stay until it's safe to return. Do you understand?"

He shook his head. "N-no, no I don't understand. Momma, what's going on? I don't understand!"

His mother lowered her gaze. "Home is not safe anymore, my child. Find the forest spirit, find the forest children. Live."

"Bu-t mom, what-what about-" He was silenced by his mom's finger at his lips.

There was a moment of silence, and his mother moved her shaking hand to cup her child's face one last time. "Be courageous, my son, and the goddesses will protect you. I know you can do it, my little hero."

Howling sounded again, closer. His mother removed her hand. "Now run, go!"

Her hand fell with a shudder. Link stared at her for one last moment, then climbed to his feet, despite his leg's protesting, turned, and limped forward to the treeline.

The goddess would protect him if he was strong, right?

Then in the forest, in the darkness, he had nothing to fear.

* * *

 _A/N: So, first off, I can not begin to say how excited I am to publish this project! It's going to be the biggest writing project I've ever attempted (my previous longest story was about 25k words, and I've already almost surpassed that with my draft in only a tiny fraction of the story). I hope to update it weekly on Sundays._

 _So now for some quick notes about the story itself:_

 _Yes this is going to diverge some from the story of Ocarina of Time. Some characters are going to get more development than they do in the original game, and the order of some events will be different, as well as how some of them play out. Some things within the story itself may not follow established canon to the exact, whether it be because I forgot something, or chose to change it for the sake of the story. Please feel free to point out glaring plot holes or flaws, but also please bear with me, and remember that this is a labor of love. Most of the plot is pretty well hammered out, but I still have a lot to write, so who knows how things could shift around in the end?_

 _With all that said, I hope you enjoy The Heart of a Hero!_


	2. Forest Life

_Chapter 1: Forest Life_

* * *

 _He wasn't sure where he was._

 _The first thing he made of his surroundings was the field of grass that stretched out all around him. The second was the unnatural darkness that permeated the area._

 _The third thing he noticed was a large, unnatural stone wall stretching out in front of him, illumined just barely by moonlight and barely backlit by a distant orange glow. He could not say why, but something about it felt nostalgic, sad, like a distant memory buried deep within his mind._

 _He began to creep forward, low to the ground. But as he drew close, suddenly, a wooden part of the wall fell forward, and he sprang back in alarm. Something, a large, white animal raced out, a clothed in purple and white and a darkly clothed, cloaked woman on its back. The child looked back, and for a moment, he locked eyes with her, her eyes wide with alarm and fear. Then they disappeared, fading into the darkness._

 _He began to turn back around and cried out in alarm. A second, darker animal reared up in front of him. Atop this one sat a man. He wore dark clothes, his hair contrasting like a flame. His sharp eyes were a deep red, matching the color of the stains that spattered his clothing._

 _The man locked eyes with him. The horse reared up. The man gave him a cruel, wicked grin as the horse dropped down, giving him no time to move._

 _He screamed._

* * *

Link startled awake with a gasp, scrambling to a sitting position. In his panic, it took him a moment to recognize his surroundings. He was still safe in bed, gripping his scratchy hand-me-down blanket. Sunlight filtered down through the cracks in his roof onto his face, little spots of light in the dim room. He took a moment to blink and steady his breathing.

It was all just a dream.

Still, it had felt so vivid, so _real_.

He shook his head to clear it of his thoughts. Nonsense. Dreams were not real, that was just silly, childish thinking! … Right?

But he was a child, and he'd always be a child, so there was nothing wrong with childish thoughts like that, was there?

Having calmed himself and reclaimed his mind from the dream's grip, he finally stretched and threw the blanket off. It was another beautiful day, and he for one was looking forward to spending it with his best friend in the world, as usual.

Raising quietly, he crept to the entranceway of his stump, and carefully pulled the leaf curtain away, glancing around. Usually, his friend was already here before he woke, but this time, they seemed to be late. That, or they were waiting to sneak up on him. He wouldn't be surprised if it was the latter.

And yet, the clearing seemed perfectly peaceful, with the sound of birds chirping and smaller forest life going about foraging. He could even hear of the scratch-scratching of insects burrowing if he really strained his ears. But still, he did not see hide nor hair of his friend (did they even have hair? He was pretty sure they did not). He could not even sense a trace of vanishing magic in the air.

Satisfied that he was probably safe, he crept out of his home and into the clearing. Wow, was his friend really going to be late? They were never late! He had no interest in a quiet, boring morning; if his friend was late, then something terrible must have happened! Then he looked up.

There was a flash of orange and green and brown, and Link barely had time to brace himself as he was tackled and rolled to the ground, tumbling with his attacker. As his head cleared, he was greeted to a bright orange beak, the corners twisted in an attempt of a smile, and the glowing eyes and barky skin of his best friend crouched over him.

"Good morning Link!" The skull kid exclaimed.

"Aw, no fair Skull Kid!" He exclaimed, pushing his friend's face away and pushing himself into a sitting position. "Where were you? On top of my house?"

Skull Kid - or Skully, as Link had taken to sometimes nicknaming him (as the boy said he had no name that he could remember) just shook his body, rattling, and gave him an amused chuckle before backing off and letting him get up. "It's all fair, silly. Next time be faster! You were still asleep when I got here, so I thought I'd have a little fun!"

Link climbed to his feet and watched as his friend sprang back to the top of his house as soon as he saw Link up and moving. "Sorry, I was having a… um… a bad dream."

Skull Kid paused for a minute, then crossed his arms with a pout. "Bad dream? Those are the worst. You should just punch those big bad dreams right in the face. Do you know how much it hurts to be punched by wood? One of the other skull kids said they punched an adult once, and the adult _cried!"_

Link was not sure he believed that. Still, he took a moment to look down at his hand, flexing it experimentally as he watched the pieces of bark that formed around his wooden, shadowy joints shift around and even bend in some parts to allow for movement.

The passage of time was all relative to Link, but it seemed like so long ago that he had become a skull kid.

He couldn't remember much about the change, or really anything about himself prior to his transformation. Not even what he must have been doing here. He remembered his name. He remembered pain, and fear. But when the world went dark, the fear and pain went away. Skully had told him before that the pain and fear was dying. He didn't know for sure if his friend was being truthful but figured it didn't matter anymore. All that mattered now was living as he was and having a little fun.

And maybe figuring out whatever it was that he always felt like he was forgetting.

Speaking of Skull Kid, his friend's voice shook him out of his thoughts.

"Hey, Link, are you paying attention?" The other boy waved a gloved hand in Link's direction. "I said what do you want to do today?"

Link tilted his head slightly and flashed Skull Kid a toothy grin. He wasn't much of a talker most of the time. In fact, he talked more to the other skull kid than anyone else. And even then, it was often short bursts in a quiet voice. Not that he knew or hung around many other people anyways.

His friend took his motion as an invitation to decide himself. The boy tapped his foot for a moment. Then his face lit up; he hopped down and took hold of Link's hand before taking off at a sprint.

No two skull kids looked exactly the same, but he stuck out a bit more than most of the others, it seemed. Just in comparison to Skully his body was darker and ashier in color than most. His eyes shone a brilliant blue. Admittedly, though uncommon, he had seen others with that trait at least. His face otherwise was, for the most part, the same. But instead of the beak formation, like most of the skull children chose to use to appear friendlier to the other forest inhabitants, he allowed his face to take its more natural, featureless appearance. Only when he opened his mouth to speak would anyone see the row of razor-sharp teeth he sported. And unlike the orange and green that other skull kids wore, he chose to wear an old, worn kokiri tunic he had found tossed away. Or maybe he stole it. He couldn't actually remember where he got it anymore. Oh well, it didn't matter now!

The two came to a stop in a small meadow. Link recognized it as the area where the two of them often played or performed music together. It also happened to be the place they first met, many, many moons ago. He could only assume that meant Skull Kid's idea was a lazy morning full of music and laughter. He began to pat his pockets in search of the handmade flute his friend had given him. But as he finally found it and began to pull it out, his friend stopped him.

"Wait Link! Wait, wait, wait! I have something cool to show you first! It's over here."

Link slipped the flute back into his pocket and pattered behind his friend over to the taller of two tree stumps. Skull Kid sifted among a pile of leaves at the base, then pulled something out.

"Check out what I snagged last night!" The boy held in his hands a small, child-sized sword. It was rather plain looking - only a blade and a brown hilt, a small red gem decorating the cross guard. But still the shiny metal caught Link's eye. He tentatively reached a hand out to pick up the blade and held it carefully. For some reason as he gave it an experimental swing, he could not help but feel like there was something nostalgic about it, despite never having held a sword as far as he could remember; the closest he had come would have been his and Skully's little play fights.

His friend watched and let out another giggle. "I thought you might like it. You're always swinging sticks and stuff around, it seemed perfect for you. One of the kokiri ran off without it. You know that orange-haired one that tries to act tough? Yeah, he left it behind." He tilted his head slightly. "What do you think?"

"It's so cool," Link responded, letting it rest at his side. "Can I keep it?"

"I don't see why not?"

Link nodded and made a mental note to find something to sheathe it in later. Maybe he could steal – or buy – a shield or something to go with it, too. Sure, he did not _need_ them, but it could be fun! Running around, playing with swords, slicing down the deku baba's that dared to nip at his heels, he could have his own sort of adventure here in the forest.

Satisfied with his gift to his friend, the other skull kid leaned back into the leaves and pulled out an old, busted up basket, filled with fruit and nuts. "Are you in the mood to eat, by the way? I still have some leftovers from yesterday."

Link considered it for a moment, then shook his head. No, he wasn't all that hungry at the moment. The nightmare, as much as he was trying to forget it, was still in the back of his mind, and affecting his appetite.

"More for me then." Skull Kid shrugged, then tossed a berry up into the air, popping it into his beak with a snap. But afterwards, he sat the food aside, and sprang up to sit on the taller rock, finally pulling out his own flute.

"Do you think Saria might come out here today? It's been a while since she ventured out here hasn't it?"

It was Link's turn to shrug. Admittedly, he had not seen the Kokiri in a while. Not in the forest at least. But perhaps she had things to do in her village. She seemed to be fairly popular there. Sometimes, he wondered what his life would be like if he had lived there instead. Maybe that was why he chose to make his home so close to Kokiri Forest, even if it was more isolated from where most skull kids chose to live. He still had Skull Kid to hang around with, who lived not much further from the village of forest children but still closer to most of their kind.

"I'm sure she'll show up soon enough," Skull Kid finally said, his eyes going dim. "I hope she does. I hope she's not mad at one of us or something. I haven't put any bugs in any of the Kokiri houses lately, but that sounds like a great idea. I bet I can dig up some baby tektites if I look around enough."

The boy stuck out his tongue indignantly as he brought the flute up to his lips. He paused, pressing his fingers against the holes as he took a moment to remember the song the fairy girl had taught the two of them. "I don't know why they don't think it's funny. It's not like those tiny little bugs are gonna eat them or anything. Their house, maybe. But they'll be fine!"

With the thought out of his mouth, he took a deep breath and began to play. The first few notes came out slowly as he warmed, then quickly picked up into the lively tune. Link was quick to join in, standing on the shorter stump after setting his sword aside. After a few minutes of playing in unison, his friend hopped down and began to dance, throwing in a counter melody of his own creation. Link had to hold back giggles as his friend pranced around in a silly manner.

After a few rounds of Saria's Song, the two began to play their own melodies, songs they had made up over time. They even played a few experimental notes to try and create something new. In what felt like no time at all, it seemed like the afternoon sun was filtering from directly overhead, and the two finally settled in for a break to eat.

The two sat with their backs against the larger stump, relaxing almost shoulder to shoulder as they quietly ate the fruit and nuts from before and gazed out into the forest.

It seemed like the silence lasted a while, but Skull Kid was the one to finally break it.

"Do you ever wonder what it's like outside the forest?" He asked.

Link tilted his head, an invitation for his friend to continue the thought.

"I mean, it must be so different out there, you know? Kokiri can't leave the forest – at least, that's what I've been told – and I've never heard of another skull kid who has wanted to. Some of the Deku venture out for business and trading, sure. But they rarely come back, and even fewer will give us the time of day to tell us about the world out there. Do you ever wonder what it could be like?"

Link's response was a shrug before using his teeth to cut into the thick skin of an orange. "I never really thought about it."

Skull Kid looked like he was going to continue, but instead, he shook his head. "Aw well, it's not really important anyways." Unexpectedly, he reached over and pulled Link closer, putting him in a headlock long enough to give him a noogie. Link let out a startled cry that quickly turned to laughter "Why would I want to leave when my best friend is right here!"

After a moment, he let go, and Link flopped over onto the ground and rolled onto his back, looking up at his friend with a toothy smile. Skull Kid was so sweet to him, it was nice having a friend like that.

He genuinely hoped these happy days could last forever.

Again, there was a moment of silence between them then Skull Kid stood up and offered a hand out to Link. Link gratefully accepted and climbed to his feet.

"So, what next Link? Do you want to play a game? Maybe play a prank on some of the Kokiri? I have a great idea for one that might just literally knock their socks off."

The offer _was_ enticing…

But before Link could answer, the two were interrupted but the tell-tale sound of someone approaching. The jingle of a fairy in flight, and in a hurry at that.

"Hey! Hello! Is anyone out there?"

* * *

 _This chapter was edited 8/24/2019 for a few grammar, flow, and clarity enhancements._


	3. Adventure Calling

_Chapter 2: Adventure Calling_

* * *

"Hey, hello? Are you listening to me?"

Link was, in fact, not really listening to the fairy trying to get his attention yet. Nor was Skull Kid, apparently. At the moment, he was only focusing on her appearance. She was a smaller fairy, of the variety that lived in the fountain near Saria's favorite spot in the forest. Her body let off a pale blue-white glow, reminding Link of the Kokiri's guardian fairies. But she was not yet close enough for him to get a whiff of her scent and figure out which place she belonged to. Still, it was rare to find a single fairy by themselves here, this far from either the forest fountain or Kokiri Forest. Maybe she had become separated from her Kokiri?

The fairy did not seem happy about being ignored. She drew close, flying erratically between his and Skull Kid's faces, until the two were finally forced to acknowledge her. Skull Kid raised a hand up to wave her away from his face.

"Okay, okay fine!" Skull Kid grumbled. "What is it?"

"You two are skull kids," The fairy stated matter-of-factly. "Are either of you a Link. Or do you know a Link?"

Skull Kid paused for a second, then slowly raised up a hand and pointed to his friend. "That's Link."

The fairy turned to look to Skull Kid, then to Link, and blinked a couple times, seeming to calm just slightly. "Oh, thank goodness. I thought it might take me _hours_ to find you." She fluttered over to Link and flew a couple circles around him as he tilted his head to the side. "The Great Deku Tree sent me to find you," she explained. "I'm Navi, a fairy in his service. I've been asked to bring you to him. Right away. So please, follow me. It's urgent."

Navi tugged once on his sleeve and then, without waiting for a response, she zipped off to the edge of the clearing, before pausing there and turning back to look at Link expectantly.

Link looked over to his friend, then back to Navi, who was already a speck against the treeline. Skull Kid shrugged and stretched before standing up, offering a hand out to Link. "I say check it out. It's so rare that a fairy comes to give any of us skull kids attention, you don't pass up that kind of opportunity. Besides, it could be fun. And I'll come too!"

Link finally nodded and accepted his friend's hand, climbing to his feet. He paused for a moment to stash his flute back in his pocket, dust himself off, and to pick up the sword from before, then scurried after Navi and his friend.

The fairy zipped ahead of them through the woods, leading them through clearings and twists and turns at a rapid pace, the boys having to run to keep up. Fortunately, they had already been on the edge of the Lost Woods, only a short jog from the Kokiri Forest.

Upon their arrival, the fairy made a beeline directly for the far end of the fields the Kokiri called home. As Link followed her, he heard some startled cries and gasps from behind him. It wasn't the first time he'd entered the Kokiri Forest, but it _was_ the first time he'd come in broad daylight in a long time. And although there was no true ill will between Kokiri and skull kids, his kind tended to avoid wide open spaces with few places to hide. Claustrophobic walls of stone and dirt protected the Kokiri from many dangers from the forest and outside world, but also provided few places to escape in the event of danger, a fact Link did not like one bit. He always felt on-guard here.

As they reached the end of the clearing, Link had to skid to a stop to avoid stumbling into a Kokiri standing in his way. Navi just fluttered on past the child. Skull Kid, on the other hand, did not stop in time and slammed right into Link. The two tumbled to a ground in a heap, then looked up to the other child with sheepish grins. The Kokiri stood in front of them with his arms crossed and an unamused expression.

As the two climbed to their feet, the Kokiri spoke up with an impatient edge to his voice. "Why are _you two_ here?" The boy asked, tapping his foot.

"Hey, what's the holdup?" Navi asked, circling back to see what the holdup was. She caught sight of the mistrustful Kokiri and, putting two and two together, addressed him. "Mido, the Great Deku tree asked for them to come, so please let them by."

"Oh yeah?" Mido narrowed his eyes, unconvinced by the fairy's words, and swept his gaze between the two skull kids. His fingers were practically digging into the skin of his upper arms. "Why would he ask for either of _you_ instead of me, the great Mido. The leader of the Kokiri? I don't care if you are Saria's friends, I'm not letting you pass!"

Skull Kid gave the Kokiri a blank, silent, unnerving stare for a long moment. Then he leaned over to Link, and with one hand cupped to the side of his mouth whispered just loud enough for Mido to hear. "Hey. Are we supposed to know this guy?"

Mido seemed to falter for a moment. His arms fell to his sides as he did another sweep-over of the duo. Then his gaze locked on to the blade at Link's side. A _familiar_ blade. "Hey! Isn't that my sword?"

Link turned his gaze to his friend, who giggled nervously and rubbed the back of his head, eyes darting back and forth. He "found" it, huh? Before he could question his friend, however, Skull Kid jerked an arm out, pointing to a spot behind Mido. "Hey look, here comes Saria!"

"Huh, where?" Mido twisted to look in that direction. Immediately Link felt a push at his back; Skull Kid gave him a quick shove before taking off past Mido himself. Getting the idea, Link darted off after him, the sound of Mido angrily yelling after them quickly fading as they left him behind. Skull Kid laughed, and even Link found himself fighting back a giggle.

Navi zipped along behind the troublemakers, grumbling something under her breath as she took the lead. Not more than a minute later, the trio reached their destination. They found themselves in a great clearing, grass spreading as far as the eye could see. In the center was the great guardian spirit of the forest, a tree whose branches stretched far into the sky, covering the entire field in a canopy of leaves.

"Great Deku Tree… I'm back!" Navi exclaimed. "And I found the boy you asked for!"

The tree was quiet for a moment, then in a voice that crackled with age, he slowly spoke, his voice reverberating in the trio's heads. "Oh… Navi… Thou hast returned…" There was another pause. "Link… Welcome… And you as well, other child of the forest… Thou must forgive me, for I know not thine name…"

The skull kid blinked once, then laughed and placed his hands behind his head, leaning back ever so slightly. "Aw that's okay, I don't know my name either! Everyone just calls me Skull Kid, or Skully, like Link here usually does." The boy gave Link a quick pat on the back, then turned his attention to the Great Deku Tree as the spirit began to speak again.

"Whatever thy name may be… as a child of the forest, thou art welcome here... All children of the forest are under my own protection." With the pleasantries out of the way, the tree then focused his words on Link.

"Thank you for coming, Link. I am certain thou hast many questions. I will answer what I can, so listen carefully to what I tell thee… Link, thy sleep these past moons must have been restless and full of nightmares."

Link let out a gasp of surprise, his mind wandering back to the nightmare he'd had just this morning. But before he could voice his confusion and surprise, the tree continued.

The Great Deku Tree chuckled. "Oh ho, thou must be wondering how I would know that… There will be a time for that later, I hope... For now, time is short… As servants of evil gain strength, a vile climate pervades the land, and causes nightmares to those sensitive to it. Verily, thou hast felt it."

Skull Kid tilted his head and reached a hand up to place it on Link's shoulder. "...Link? Have you been having nightmares lately? Why didn't you tell me?"

Link considered it for a moment, and nodded in response, following it up with a shrug. "Didn't want you to worry, I guess," he said to the other skull kid. Perhaps it was also because he considered it unimportant? He could give a straight answer, either way. Whatever reasons he may have had, they were unimportant for now. He turned his attention back to the tree.

"Link… the time has come to test thy courage…" When the boy only tilted his head in response, the tree continued. "There is trouble on the horizon for this forest. I have been cursed… I need thee to break the curse with thy wisdom and courage. Dost thou have the courage to undertake this task?"

Link looked away. "That's a lot to take in," he finally mumbled, letting one arm hang at his side and reaching up with the other to grip his elbow. On one hand, this was not his fight. Or at least, it should not be his fight. The Kokiri Forest was not his home.

But on the other hand, he'd always felt some sort of connection to it. And if something happened here that he could have prevented? Well, he'd feel pretty terrible. Besides, like the tree had said, even the skull kids out in the Lost Woods, like him, were offered some level of protection by the spirit. If something were to happen here, it would have an effect on the rest of the woods. So he let his hands rest at his side and nodded.

Again, a silence hung in the air, and then there was a creaking. Slowly, a part of the front of the Great Deku Tree slid down, leaving a great entryway into the tree more than spacious enough for Link to be able to walk through.

"Then enter, brave Link… And thou too, Navi… Navi, you must aid Link… Link, listen well to Navi's words of wisdom."

Link looked to the fairy gave a nod, and Navi bobbed up and down in response as well. As the two stepped forward though, Skull Kid spoke up.

"Hold on!" He exclaimed, prompting Link to turn his head. Skull Kid reached into his pockets and removed his flute. It wasn't much of a weapon, but he knew how to use it like one. "Wait for me, I'm going with you." He trotted to catch up to the two, and gave Link a light nudge "What, you think you could just leave me behind? I can help too!"

Link flashed his friend a toothy smile and gave him an enthusiastic nod. The three stood together at the base of the tree for a moment, then together, the two skull kids and Navi stepped inside.

* * *

 _This chapter was edited 8/24/2019 for a few grammar, flow, and clarity fixes._


	4. Queen Gohma

_Chapter 3: Queen Gohma_

* * *

Link had not expected the inside of the Deku tree to be so… hollow. As the trio entered, he took a moment to look around. The ceiling stretched far above him, so high up, that he couldn't even make out where it ended. Wood cut off at odd intervals, creating ledges that he could stand on and jump from. And vines grew along the walls, giving him a way to climb higher. A large hole opened in the floor, offering access to the Deku Tree's roots. Or it would, if it were not for the layer of a thick, web – like substance blocking access.

Navi flew ahead, zipping past a Deku Baba that popped up and tried to make a snack of her, stopping at a wall of vines leading up. "Link, you guys should be able to climb higher from here!" She called out.

Link nodded and raced ahead, swinging his sword at the carnivorous plant as he ran by. Skull Kid followed behind, blowing a dart through his flute at the stem to sever it and finish the job, but stopped to pick up the seeds the monster left behind before catching up. As Link carefully picked a handhold in the vines, his friend spoke up from behind him.

"See you up there!" Skull Kid responded, pointing to the ledge above before jumping, vanishing in a flurry of leaves.

"Wow, can you do that too, Link?" Navi asked.

Link shrugged before resuming his climb. "Probably," he voiced quietly. But he'd yet to manage to pull him off. Despite the magical abilities of his kind, he'd yet to manage to perform much magic. In fact, the only thing he'd managed to pull off thus far is making plants sprout just a little faster. But one day, he was certain he could be as good at magic as Skull Kid!

As he reached the top and pulled himself up, he caught notice of his friend a little further down the path, checking something on the ground out before sniffing the air. Navi flew ahead to check it out too, leaving him to hurry and play catch up this time.

"Do you smell that?" Skull Kid asked when he reached the two. He paused, sniffing. The air here was damp and earthy in scent but had just the edge of something not quite right. But he couldn't quite place it. His friend pointed up to the vines in front of them. "There's skulltulas up there," he reported.

Link glanced upward, catching notice of a something skittering on the wall in the dim light. Navi fluttered a little higher to check it out, then returned to them to confirm it. "There's several crawling along the vines up there. If they spot you, they'll attack. You should find some way to take them out from down here."

"Oh, I can do that!" Skull Kid responded waving his flute in the air. He took a couple steps back, and when Navi flew up to point out one of the spider-like monsters, he blew a dart through with a "pftweet" sound. The skulltula screeched, and dropped from above, dead by the time it hit the ground. "Hey, Link we could totally make a meal out of that, are you hungry? We never finished lunch."

Link opened his mouth to respond, but before either of them could move, the monster vanished in a small puff of flame.

"These monsters aren't your regular skulltulas," Navi chirped. "They're made from pure evil magic, instead of being natural born, likely a part of the curse on the Deku Tree. They just vanish when you kill them, since they don't truly have a physical form to begin with."

"Aw, that's no fair," Skull Kid groaned. "What if I'm hungry?"

"You eat bugs?" Navi asked.

"You don't?"

"Why would I? That's gross! Link, don't tell me you eat bugs too?"

Link stared for a moment, then just shrugged and gave a sheepish smile.

"Ew! Why?"

"I mean," Skull Kid interjected. "They can't eat us if we eat them first. A termite infestation is literally the worst thing that could happen to us skull kids. Do you have any idea how painful it is to have your wooden body eaten alive by those things? Do you know how hard it is get rid of them once they burrow inside of you? It's pretty gross, the burrow tiny holes to get inside and squirm-"

"Alright alright, sorry I asked!"

Satisfied with the reaction, Skull Kid turned his attention to something at his feet and gave it a nudge. "So, look what I found over here. I think we should keep it, we could totally pull some great pranks with this!

Link looked down to see a small, hand carved slingshot laying on the ground. As he leaned over to place his sword on the ground to pick it up, he could tell that it had been there a while. And yet, it was still in decent condition. He pulled it back experimentally, then gave his friend an enthusiastic grin.

Skull Kid seemed satisfied with the answer. He reached into his pocket, digging around until he found a few of the deku seeds that he had picked up earlier. "Here, try using these, I bet you can hit that other skulltulla up there!"

Link pocketed most of the seeds, keeping one out as ammo. Pulling the sling back, he took careful aim, then released. With a _thwack_ the second skulltula fell to the ground and disappeared in a fire like the first one.

He looked back to give his friend an enthusiastic smile and, after pocketing the slingshot for later use, reached down to pick up his sword and began to climb the second set of vines. By the time he reached the top, Skull Kid was already waiting for him.

"Took you long enough! Link when we're done saving this big old tree, we're working on your magic skills."

Instead of responding, Link took a look around. The ceiling of the room was just barely visible in the dim lighting of the room. Far below, the floor was visible, light filtering in from the entrance. Most of the walkway was surrounded by the thick, sticky web from before. But there were a few open ledges visible around the path.

As the group approached one of the ledges, Navi flew up high. "Big skulltula up here," Navi announced, zipping around the bug.

"Don't tell me those are gonna disappear too," Skull Kid grumbled as they approached, waiting for it to drop. "Their legs make the best crunchy snacks."

Link gripped his sword tightly as the bug - a bug bigger than him - dropped down in front of him. It spun backwards in an attempt to knock him off his feet, but he sprang back just in time, before leaping forward with a battle cry. With one neat slice down the center of its exposed abdomen, the bug fell to the ground, dead, before disappearing in a puff of flame and smoke like the others had.

"Of course."

Link was the first to venture out onto the ledge. From his vantage point, he could make out the hole in the floor almost directly below him. And as he looked around to the other side of the path they had taken, he could not make out any other ways to go.

"I think…" Navi started, taking her time to consider her idea carefully. "I think if you were to jump, you would have enough force to break through the webs. And the webs would break your fall, so you shouldn't get hurt by it."

Link considered for a moment. But before he could come to a conclusion on if it was a good idea or not, Skull Kid sprang past him, pulling his legs up into his chest to do a cannonball as he fell through the air. Not wanting to lose the material to break his fall or be outdone, Link followed suit. Instead of a cannonball, however, he chose to jump while swinging his sword down in front of him.

The webs had already started to sag under his friend's weight when Link landed on them, and he only lost the tiniest bit of momentum before they broke under the combined weight and the two began to fall again. Fortunately, a shallow pool of water below them broke the remainder of the fall sending up two large splashes as they made contact.

It took a moment for Link to orient himself. Water was already seeping in through the gaps around his joints, soaking into his wooden body. As soon as he saw a raised ledge in the shallows, he swam over to it and then climbed up onto dry land, Skull Kid right behind him.

"Aw, water, _really?_ " The child grumbled, shaking with a rattle, causing water to fling off his clothing in all directions. "I hate the feeling of getting soaked. It's good we got out fast, but it's still going to take forever to dry out!"

Link gave him a nod of agreement, reached down to wring some of the water out of his clothing, and then lifted his head to look around as a small puddle formed around him. They appeared to be in a cavern under the tree now, roots weaving between the rock and dirt surrounding the area. Across a small gap of water, he could see another room, blocked off by more of the same thick web they'd been coming across. To the side, there was a taller ledge across the water. Too tall to just climb up; the only way forward for the time being appeared to be beyond the webs.

Backing up a few steps first, Link steadied himself, then made a running leap to cross gap to check out the blockade. Skull Kid followed a moment after and looked them over.

"Do you think you could cut these down?" He asked.

There was only one way to find out. Link tightened his grip on the sword and swung with all his might. The strike made barely a noticeable dent in the mess of web, and when he pulled the sword back, bits of web clung to the blade. He shook his head.

"What about fire?" Navi suggested.

"Fire is an absolutely terrible idea." Skull Kid responded. "Do you have any idea how deadly fire is? Besides, where would we even get fire in a place like this?"

"You guys didn't see the torch behind you when you jumped?"

Link turned back. Sure enough, the ledge they had just came from had a single torch lighting it up. It was amazing that they didn't notice one of the few sources of light, really.

"Who just puts a torch under a tree? Why would we notice something like that?" Skull Kid responded.

"Because it's so out of place?" Navi answered with a slight frustrated edge to her voice, as if it was the most obvious thing in the world. "As for who put it here. Probably some of the more intelligent monsters lurking around down here. Why though, I have no clue."

Link chose to just shrug; it did not matter much to him. All that matted is that they find a way to get the fire to the web. He started to walk back towards the edge, but let out a cry when he suddenly felt something snap around his ankle and pull him off his feet.

He twisted around, just in time to see a deku baba plant retracting, preparing to strike again. Quickly, he scrambled to his feet, just barely avoiding another bite. As it reared up to strike again however, a sharp, pointy object – one of Skull Kid's darts - stabbed it in the head, stunning it and causing it to stiffen up in shock. Link wasted no time in thrusting forward to cut it off at the base, sending it toppling over.

The head stiffened and shriveled, leaving behind a nut and several smaller seeds. The stem also stiffened, leaving behind something like a stick.

Skull Kid moved to pick up the nut - a favorite pranking item of his - while Link sat about the task of picking up the seeds for use as ammo.

Once he had all the seeds, Link too a moment to assess the damage around his ankle. There were small punctures in his bark, but the plant had not bitten down hard enough to break through the outer layer. It might sting for a little bit like a scratch, but he would be fine.

Satisfied with his condition, he glanced back to the stick, and an idea formed in his head.

Setting his sword aside for a moment, he reached down to pick up the stick, and with a running leap, jumped back across to the first ledge. "Stand back," he called out to his friend as he approached the torch. With a slightly unsteady hand, he reached out, keeping as much distance between his wooden body and the fire as he could, and lit the stick. As soon as it caught fire, he spun around and made a run for it, leaping back across the gap and sprinting to the web covered area.

As soon as the fire made contact with the webs, the webs burst into flame, spreading across until it all burned into nothing. Link immediately tossed the stick aside into the water and moved to pick up his sword again.

Skull Kid let out a sigh of relief. "Don't do that again." And with that, the three continued on into the formerly blocked off room.

This room was almost entirely empty, save for a single bush in the middle. Or, not a bush, as it turned out. When the boys drew close, the bush sprang up, revealing glowing orange eyes and a wooden body. But not the body of another skull kid. No, this one was one of the short, leafy Deku Scrub people.

The wooden creature eyed the boys warily, glancing up to the fairy flying behind them, and then to Link. "You," it began, addressing Skull Kid finally. "Why are you here?"

"Oh you know," Skull Kid responded nonchalantly, stepping out in front. "Playing hide and seek, causing mischief, normal skull kid things."

The scrub seemed to consider his words for a moment. "You should leave. It is not safe here. Unless… Perhaps, you're looking for a special kind of mischief?" The monster's eyes seemed to twinkle in the dim light.

The words seemed to catch Skull Kid's attention, and even Link seemed to perk up a little. "What kind of mischief are we talking about?" He asked.

"Oh, A very special type of mischief, I can promise you that. Queen Gohma can tell you all about what to do. But you'll have to get past my brother's first. If you speak to them in the correct order, they'll let you inside." The scrub stood up pointing in the direction of a passage behind him. "The order is two, three, one. Or twenty three is number one, if that helps you remember. Just follow the path, crawl through the little passageway, and then jump down the hole when you get back to the big room. You can't miss it."

And without another word, the scrub burrowed back into the ground.

The trio continued once again, Skull Kid leading the way with a spring in his step. "Wow, I was just joking about the mischief, but I bet we can do something really hilarious when we get to the bottom. Do you think there's some really cool pranking items? Do you think we can totally spook some of the kokiri?"

Navi hung back a little for a moment until they entered the next room. "You… you're not really planning on listening to him, are you?"

The Skull Kid paused, then looked back. "Why not? He seemed like a nice enough guy. Deku Scrubs aren't that bad if you get to know them. In fact, I'm sure they even have their own kingdoms out there! Sure they don't trust many people. But humans attack them too, why would they?"

"I'm not worried about that," Navi responded, flying in front. She came to a stop in front of a ledge. Water stretched out in front of them, and another ledge was just barely visible on the other side of the room. A large, floating platform akin to a raft sat nearby, and Skull Kid hopped down onto it, Link following after. Using his sword, he pushed off to make them begin floating towards the other side.

"I'm worried about this 'Queen Gohma,' and the type of mischief he was talking about." She lowered her voice as the reached the far side and climbed up onto solid ground. "I have a feeling this 'queen' of theirs is the cause of the Deku Tree's curse. We probably are going to have to fight her."

There was a small cliff up ahead. Link tossed his sword up to the top and then, with a running start, sprang forward in an attempt to grab hold of the top. He pulled himself up, but came just short. Skull Kid chose to instead use his teleportation magic again, then sank down to his stomach to offer Link a hand to help pull him up.

"Well, wouldn't fighting her still be mischievous anyways? Either way it's a win-win for me!"

Passing through another small room, the path curved back to the right, opening up to another large room. "Watch out, Big Skulltula up ahead," Navi warned, prompting the boys to each pull out a weapon and fire a shot above. The body dropped like a rock, and like those before, disappeared in a small burst of oddly colored flame. The room now appeared to be empty, as well as a dead end.

"Do you think this is where that crawlspace is?" Skull Kid asked, beginning to move along the left side of the room in search of a hole. Link took up on the idea, searching the other side. After a moment, his wall curved out, and in the dim light, Link could just barely make out the entrance of a hole. More light seemed to pour from the other side.

"Found it!" He called.

"Link! Watch out!"

At the fairy's sudden cry, Link whipped around, sword in hand, just in time to swing blindly at the monster charging at him. It bounced back, letting out a shrill shriek.

Whatever it was, he was not quite sure. It walked on two widespread legs, hobbling this way and that. A single, almost leaf shaped object grew off the top of its round body. And in the center, it had a single emerald eye. As he steadied himself and positioned himself for a fight, its eye turned red. The round appendage at the top also turned red and pointed towards him. Then it sprang. He responded with a thrust, sword driving into its eye. It let out a garbled cry before falling back, dead. It too, like the skulltulas, disappeared in a puff of flame.

But no sooner than he had defeated the one, he heard a crackling noise above. Glancing up, he let out a cry as he noticed another one, half hatched, dropping from above. Unfortunately, he had not noticed in time, and before he could move, the monster fell on top of him, knocking him off his feet.

The creature hopped away, and Link scrambled to his feet before it could strike again. Across the room he could see Skull Kid engaging with a similar monster.

The monster gave the same tell-tale sign of attack as the previous had. As it charged, this time he rolled to the side, already on his feet by the time it turned to face him again. It scrambled back as he charged. He swung wildly to the right, and then to the left, both blows connecting. While it was reeling, he charged forward, driving his sword deep into the monster's eye. With an anguished cry, it slumped over, then vanished.

Safe for now, he turned his attention back to Skull Kid, and the monster that he had been fighting. Fortunately, his friend seemed to be fine. In fact, he seemed more than fine, having made a game out of the fight. When the monster would charge, he would teleport away, leaving a few leaves behind in his wake. When he reappeared, it would turn, and he'd blow a dart into it's eye. It seemed almost blind now, green liquid oozing down its body.

With it focused on Skull Kid, Link turned to finish the job. With a loud yell, he sprang forward and struck from behind, bringing his sword down and cutting a neat gash into its body.

Like the first two, it gave a shrill cry, then vanished in flame.

Now safe, the adrenaline rush crashed, And Link sank to the ground for a moment, in need of catching his breath.

Skull Kid rushed over to his friend's side, lowering his weapon. "Link? Are you okay?" Navi, too, flew over to look the boy over.

Link nodded. On one hand, he ached all over from the impact of the monster. On the other, he wasn't in that bad of condition, all things considered. The only area that hurt a little worse was his right arm, which, when he held it up, he could tell had been scraped by the monster's claws when it hopped away. Fortunately, it just seemed to be a minor scrape; some of the top layers of his bark had been stripped away, but the injury did not reach the inner parts of his body. He couldn't even detect a sign of amber sap seeping out.

"I'm fine… what were those?"

"Gohma larva, I think," Navi explained, hovering close to check the injury. "I don't think we're going to get out of here without a fight."

Link gave her a nod. He should have expected as much. How ironic, that his friend stealing a sword had turned out in their favor.

"We should be getting close… Are you okay to get moving?" The fairy asked before flying up higher to bob up and down. When Link gave her a nod, she landed on his shoulder.

One last glance around the room for trouble, and Link stood up, leading back to the spot he'd found the hole. He got down on his hands and knees, and began to crawl his way through, Skull Kid following after.

"Hee hee, I see your butt," Skull Kid giggled childishly from behind him as they crawled along. Link too giggled in response.

Fortunately, the crawlspace was not long, and Link soon found himself back in the room they had first fallen into. He stood up, brushed himself off, and turned back to offer his friend a hand. Now that they were up here, they could see the big hole the deku scrub had been talking about. Glancing over the edge, they could see another dimly lit pool of water.

Skull Kid groaned. "Well, here we go again." Again, he jumped first, tucking his legs in to hopefully avoid injury in the fall. Link followed behind and landed with a splash beside him.

In front they could see dry ground, and the two quickly swam over, Navi fluttering behind. In front of them, at the far end of the room, they could see three bushes like before. The three scrubs.

After taking a moment to dry off a little, with a giggle, Skull Kid approached first, running for the middle one, and gave it a light tap on the snout when it raised up. "Hi!" He turned to the one on the right and tapped it as well. "Hello!" Then finally he cartwheeled over to the one on the left and gave it a light tap. "Hey, did I do it right? We wanna see your queen."

The scrub blinked, taken aback by the actions. "You… Are you one of us? I suppose you know the code but… He turned his gaze back to warily stare at the fairy resting on Link's shoulders. "Why does your friend come in kokiri clothing? Why the fairy?"

"Oh he's just a little odd is all." Skull Kid responded quickly, grinning and hoping his bluff came out as convincing. "She's just here in case we need a little pick-me up. Did you know humans sometimes catch fairies in bottles in hopes they'll heal them later? It's so weird. I saw a kokiri do it once. I think it was a kokiri."

The scrub considered his words for a moment. If he could, Skull Kid would have been sweating.

"Let me speak with the queen, you wait right here."

"Hold on just a second!" Skull Kid responded quickly, before the scrub could move. He reached his hand into the pocket. "Maybe this will convince you we mean no harm?" Suddenly, he whipped his hand out, tossing a deku nut onto the ground. There was a sudden flash of bright light.

"RUN!" he called to Link. Link did not have to be told twice. While the three scrubs were still recovering, the two dashed past, into the final room.

The room was dark. So dark, that the only light was the faint glow of Navi, and the two skull kid's eyes. And something dim, on the ceiling. Link looked up, and then cried out in alarm.

The monster dropped from above, landing in front of the trio. Although they could not make the features out well in the dark, it appeared to be similar in appearance to the smaller larval monsters they had battled earlier. Only bigger. Much, much bigger.

Gohma.

The monster's eye glowed red, and it charged, attempting to slam down on the two boys. They scattered, Link rolling to the side, and Skull Kid teleporting a short distance away.

"Okay, this is starting to get a bit tiring," Skull Kid called out, referring to the dodge. "I may have overdone it a little! I'm not sure how much more magic I can do right now!"

Gohma turned its attention to the other boy, and for a moment, he froze in place. She charged again, swinging out and sending him flying back several feet with an "oomph." By the time he scrambled to his feet, she was already rushing at him again.

"Skull Kid!" Navi called out from the other side as Link ran across the room. "Shoot its eye when it turns red, its eye!"

Skull Kid didn't have to be told twice. As it made another attempt at slamming on top of him, he sprang back, and then shot a dart into the monster's eye. The monster cried out in anger, then dropped to the ground, temporarily stunned.

Link, having reached his friend, lunged forward, driving his sword into Gohmas eye, then pulled it back out with a twist. The monster screamed in agony, green blood gushing from the wound. Blindly, it swiped out to try and sweep him off his feet. Link jumped, but wasn't quite fast enough, and found himself knocked to the ground. He just barely had time to scramble out of the way as the monster came charging, rushing past him to climb up onto the wall and then ceiling.

Gohma turned back towards them, blood dripping down onto the floor. Link motioned to Skull Kid to prepare himself, and the other boy readied another dart. As soon as Gohma steadied itself for another attack, he shot it, and, caught off guard, the monster fell to the floor, sending a cloud of dust into the air.

Not wanting to waste another minute, Link rushed in, this time hacking and slashing at the surface of the eye until it seemed to be covered in bloody gashes. The monster tried to swing out at him again, but this time he was ready. And as soon as it finished its movement he jumped driving the sword as deep into its eye as he could with his momentum.

It screeched, and thrashed, and threw Link off, sword still buried deep inside. He rolled a couple times with an "oof," and got to his feet just in time to see the monster blindly crash into a pillar. It stumbled, once, twice, then let out a dying scream before falling to the ground, slowly disintegrating into flames and dust, leaving only Link's sword behind.

There was a long, tense moment of silence, then a ring of light appeared in the center of the room. Link limped over to pick up his sword. None of his injuries appeared to be serious, fortunately – just scrapes and possibly a few small cuts – but he would feel them for some time yet.

"We did it!" Skull Kid cheered before racing over to his friend to give him a hand. "That was so cool! Totally gross, but cool! Too bad its body disappeared, we could have made a week's worth meals out of her, if she was edible! Come on, let's get out of here and go celebrate!"

And with those words, the trio stepped into the circle of light, and relaxed as a gentle, warm light surrounded them.


	5. Cracks

_Chapter 4: Cracks_

* * *

Using a warp gate was a new experience for Link. It was a different feeling from a skull kid's teleportation magic. His attempts at trying to use the skill always felt cold and empty, like trying to push through nothingness. Skull Kid said that was normal, so he supposed he believed it.

The warp gate, however, felt warm and inviting, like being wrapped up in a cozy blanket. And it did not even require any energy or concentration! It sounded ideal to him; too bad it only worked at a fixed point.

As the feeling faded and he opened his eyes, he found himself standing back in front of the Great Deku Tree, Skull Kid and Navi beside him.

"Well done Link… And you two as well, Navi, and young skull kid…" The Great Deku tree's words reverberated all around the trio, and they turned their heads to stare. "Thou hast verily demonstrated thy courage…"

Link grinned sheepishly at the praise, rubbing the back of his neck. He couldn't have done it without the help of Navi and Skull Kid, he was sure of that. How fortunate he was to have at least one friend in this world! Speaking of Skull Kid, the other child sprang forward with lighthearted laughter and quickly wrapped his arms around Link from behind in a big hug.

The jubilant atmosphere could not last for long, however, as the tree continued to speak with a low rumble.

"Link, now that thy task is complete, I have yet more to tell ye, wouldst thou listen…"

Link turned his attention back to the tree, tilting his head up and blinking a couple times before taking a seat in the grass. Skull Kid, curious, sat down as well.

Once they settled, the speech resumed. "Now...listen carefully...A wicked man of the desert cast this dreadful curse upon me…"

* * *

When the Great Deku Tree's story had concluded, it left an uneasy feeling in the air. He spoke of great power, great goddesses, and great evil. Of danger approaching. Of a man seeking power to destroy everything. Although Skull Kid did not seem too concerned with the implications of the story, Link couldn't help but feel like a burden had sank into his heart.

The tree still had yet more to say, however. "Thou must never allow the desert man in black armor to lay his hands on the sacred Triforce… Thou must never suffer that man, with his evil heart, to enter the Sacred Realm of legend… That evil man who cast the death curse upon me and sapped my power… Because of that curse, my end is nigh…"

There was a quiet jingling noise as Navi hopped to alertness and flew up into the air. "Wait, you can't mean…No!"

"It is so… Though your valiant efforts to break the curse were successful, I was doomed before you started… Yes, I will pass away soon… But do not grieve for me… I have been able to tell you of these important matters… This is Hyrule's final hope…"

Now Link had climbed to his feet, and even Skull Kid seemed to be paying close attention. He felt something fall on him. Looking up, he could see a few leaves turning color – to greys and dried up browns – and falling from the tree's branches. Link clenched his fists. He… He had a feeling he understood what the tree was trying to tell him.

"Link...Go now to Hyrule Castle...There, thou will surely meet the Princess of Destiny… Take this stone with you. The stone that man wanted so much, that he cast the curse on me…"

A soft glowing light appeared in front of them, similar to the magic of the warp they had used before. When it faded, an ornamental stone remained in its place before it slowly began to float down. Link reached out his hands, catching it when it came close enough.

He ran a thumb along the gem's surface It was quite large. Large enough, in fact, for him to have to use both hands to hold it. The gemstone was cut to look circular and was a brilliant green in color, sparkling in the late-afternoon sun. It was nestled within a golden piece that curved around the side, and then around to the front.

Too large for his pockets, and not having many other options, Link chose to stow it inside his hat. He would have to find some other bag to store it in at a later point. But for now, it would have to do.

"The future depends upon thee, Link… Thou art courageous…" The Deku Tree finally stated before turning his speech to address the fairy beside Link. "Navi the fairy… Help Link to carry out my will…"

"B-but-"

"I entreat ye... Navi… Good...bye…"

There was a deep, creaking noise as the tree let out his final words. His brown bark slowly turned to a dry, ashy grey. When the noise stopped, there was a moment of silence. And then a leaf fell onto Link's shoulder. He looked up, and could see more leaves turning grey and brown, and beginning to fall off the tree.

The three stood in silence for a long moment. Whether it be that they were stunned, or just unable to find words, it could not be sure. Finally, it was Navi that broke the silence, in a voice that cracked as she drooped in the air.

"Goodbye… Great Deku Tree…"

She continued to be silent for a moment, then, forcing herself to perk up, she gave Link a little nudge against his cheek. "Let's go to Hyrule Castle, Link."

Link hesitated for a moment, giving the husk of the tree one last look, then finally nodded before picking up his sword and turning to leave.

Skull Kid finally snapped out of his stupor as soon as he realized Link had begun to walk away. He ran the few paces to catch up. "Wait, you can't be serious, can you? You're not really leaving, are you?"

Link paused and slowly turned back to look at his friend. Skull Kid placed a hand on his shoulder. "Don't you know how _dangerous_ it is outside the forest? You've never been out there – well, as far as you can remember. I know everything sounded bad, but wouldn't it be better to just… stay here and wait things out? It might not even happen! That guy the tree was talking about needs all three of these rock things, right? And if he doesn't know where you are, how is he going to find it?"

Link considered his words for a moment staring before letting his gaze fall to the ground. Skull Kid was not totally wrong, in all honesty. He did not really want to go. The idea of leaving the forest that had shaped every memory that he could remember was, quite honestly, terrifying. But…

"I have to try," he finally responded quietly.

He felt Skull Kid's hand lift from his shoulder. When he looked back, the boy had shifted back several steps, his hands tapping together nervously. "But… but what if something happens, I… you… what if something happens _to you_?"

Link's gaze fell again. Navi floated down beside him. "I understand what you're saying but… shouldn't I at least tell the princess? The Deku Tree asked me to. And… it only feels right."

"But why would she believe you? I mean. You and I. People think we're monsters! She'd probably just have you killed!"

"Nonsense," Navi chimed in, but when the skull kid gave her a sharp look, she closed her mouth. Still, she refused to back down from his gaze.

"I… if the Deku Tree trusts her, then so do I," Link finally said. "I have to take the chance that the stone will be proof enough."

" _YOU'RE NOT GETTING IT!_ " Skull Kid cried out, his tone causing Link to flinch. Silence seemed to stretch out forever, before he brought his hands up to his chest and spoke in a quiet, faltering voice.

"You, you… why do you want to leave so bad all of a sudden? D-did did I do something wrong?" skull kids could not cry, but with the sniffle and the shaky, cracked voice, Link could tell he would be if he could. The emotions were the same. His hands dropped to his side, and his head hung low. His body was shaking, giving off the slightest rattle.

Link started to reach a hand up to give his friend a comforting pat. But before he could, Skull Kid clenched one hand into a fist and smacked Link's hand away with the other.

" _Fine!_ Just leave! Go away and don't come back!" His voice dropped and became mournful, tinged with years of bitterness. "Everybody always leaves…"

Before Link had a chance to protest, Skull Kid pushed past, rushing off at a dash. A few feet away, he jumped in the air, attempting to teleport into the darkness of the forest. But his magic was expelled, and he only made it a few feet before falling flat on his face. He did not let it stop him, however, and scrambled back up to his feet, continuing his retreat.

Link's arms dropped to his sides, and he almost let his sword slip out of his hands. If his heart had already felt burdened, now it was bursting with heartache. His friend… His best friend… He had never seen him so, upset. Downtrodden. He had _never_ seen him more upset than acting mildly inconvenienced or annoyed, in fact.

"Link… You should go find him." Navi's voice cut into his thoughts. "He seemed really upset. And he seems like the type of kid to act _really_ rashly when he's upset. But… I bet if you two just talked about it, he'll feel better. Maybe you can leave on a better note."

Link was not completely sure she was right. He might just need some space but… He nodded. He certainly did not want to leave the forest on a sour note like that.

He gave one last look back to the corpse of the deceased spirit, then, gripping his sword tightly, he headed back towards the Kokiri Forest.

* * *

" _What did you do?"_

Link failed to make it very far without an interruption.

As he'd reentered the forest, the fairy boy from before, Mido, stood in his path, blocking his way back to the lost woods.

"The Great Deku Tree… did he… _die?_ "

"Mido," Navi answered. "It's not what it looks like. There was-"

"No, don't defend him." Mido interrupted. "I think it's exactly what it looks like. How could you let something like that happen? Or worse, _how could you do something like that!_ It's all your fault." The boy stomped to the side, fists clenched, then stabbed a finger towards the entrance of the Lost Woods. "Get out of here, like your friend did. And don't come back!"

Link took off without looking back, eyes trained on the entrance back to the Lost Woods in the distance.

"And if you see Saria," the boy yelled after him, "don't you dare lay a finger on her! You hear me?!"

* * *

Skull Kid was not in their favorite clearing, the first place Link searched. Checking his tree stump home, as well as Skull Kid's, proved to be fruitless as well. When it came to decoration, Link's home was much sparser than the latter's, with only a few handmade trinkets and gifts here and there, sitting around or placed into caved indentations in the tree. His pride was the small table that Saria had given him, in exchange for rupees that he had found scattered and abandoned in the forest (and from raiding jars in the Kokiri houses at night, but she didn't need to know about that little secret).

Skull Kid's home, on the other hand, was much more cluttered. Several carefully polished rupees, as well as other little trinkets that he'd found or… acquired from travelers passing through the forest that Skull Kid had pranked, were scattered about. Mostly shiny things, but a few musical instruments and even a wooden mask were mixed in, too. Link was starting to suspect his friend might have a problem.

Besides the mess, his friend's most precious belongings were hidden under his bed, made of piled and pressed leaves. But the bed looked undisturbed. Skull Kid likely had not been back since he left that morning.

With a sigh, Link returned outside. Night had fallen some time ago now, and Link was starting to worry that he would not be able to find his friend before he had to leave. Crestfallen, he took a seat on a rock outside. Navi flew put behind him and perched on his shoulder.

For a moment, the duo sat in silence. Navi, of course, was the one to break it. "Has he ever reacted to something like this before?"

Link simply shook his head and pulled his knees up to his chest. He gazed out into the shadowy forest and barely moved when Navi gave him a comforting nudge.

"Don't worry, I'm sure we can find him. Is there anywhere else you two hang out?"

Cheered up slightly, Link thought back to their most common places to play. There was the valley that most of the other skull kids lived in, but he doubted his friend would go there when he was so upset; though they had much in common, the two of them were not nearly as close to the rest of their kind as they were each other, or Saria even. Then there was the pond where they liked to fish… but he doubted his friend would want to be anywhere around water after their little adventure. That left-

His thoughts were interrupted when the distant mournful sound a flute caught his ears, carried on the wind.

The sacred grove.

Immediately, he hopped up, and dashed off, leaving Navi to speed behind him in attempt to catch up.

He raced through the forest, expertly dodging this way and that at the last second. The woods may twist and turn to throw off people. But the Lost Woods were just as much his playground as his home. And he could not be thrown off by it anymore.

The flute had grown louder when he reached an overgrown clearing. The rock formations here always seemed odd to him, twisting and turning sharply like some unnatural maze. He had no time to waste on them though. Gathering up all his strength, he dashed forward and sprang, grabbed hold of a ledge, and pulled himself to the top. Once up, it was only a matter of leaping over the gaps as he approached his destination.

He slowed as he passed between the two rock walls leading to the meadow and sniffed at the air. Skull Kid was here. And so was someone else. They too, smelled of the forest. Of fallen leaves and forest dew. But there was also a hint of wildflowers and dirt beneath it all. Even though it had been weeks since he'd last seen her, he could recognize that scent anywhere.

The flute music came to an end, growing quieter until it stopped completely. Link stayed back and hid as a quiet clapping responded.

"That was lovely, Skull Kid," Saria's voice wafted from the side. "Did you make it up yourself?"

"No." Skull Kid's voice came from further in. From a higher up point from what he could tell. He still sounded as dejected as he had when he ran off. "I learned from some f- from some people a long time ago…"

Link heard Saria hum the tune for a moment. "Well, it really is beautiful, if sad. Does it have a name?"

"I… I don't know, actually."

"Maybe you can teach it to me sometime?"

"Maybe…"

Crickets chirped. In the distance, a wolfos howled. For a while, it was quiet. Then Link could make out a quiet sniffling. Then sniffles turned to sobs. When Saria spoke again, her voice was quiet, concerned.

"Are you okay? I've never seen you like this…"

"I'm fine…"

Saria did not sound convinced. "I heard Mido say early this afternoon that you and Link went to see the Great Deku Tree. Did something happen?"

Link crept a little closer.

"It's not important…"

"Skull Kid, I've never seen you apart from Link since you two met. I have a feeling it's _very_ important."

"Why does it matter to _you_?"

"Because I consider you my friend, Skull Kid. And I worry about my friends when they're upset."

Skull Kid was quiet for a long, long moment. Link began to creep up to see what he was doing but shot back down when he heard the other child blurt out "He's leaving me!"

Navi began to float up for a better look, but Link grabbed her and pulled her back down, bringing a finger up to his face in a shushing gesture.

Skull Kid's voice cracked as he continued. "H-e-he he s-aid he was gonna-na leave, be-be-because-" he cut off and took a long deep breath in an attempt to steady his breathing and his speech. "Because the tree told him to."

Link finally peeked from his hiding place. Skull Kid had moved, he was sitting on the ground now. Saria had moved too and was in the middle of sitting down next to the boy.

"I-I don't understand. He… I thought he cared about me, a-and he's just gonna leave me behind because a tree told him to! A-am I not important? I-I thought we were… were best friends…" The boy dropped his head into his hands. "I thought Link thought I was special? He barely even knows the Deku Tree. He doesn't know this person the Deku Tree is sending him after. Were we ever even friends to begin with after all?"

The child sniffled. Saria slowly lifted a hand, then gave him a gentle pat on the back, and he sobbed.

His head shot up into the air, as if crying out to the goddesses themselves. " _What's wrong with me? WHY DOES EVERYBODY ALWAYS LEAVE!?"_

Total silence. Even the bugs had ceased their noise. Saria said nothing. But she slowly reached an arm over to wrap around his side in hopes of comforting him with a hug. Skull Kid, surprisingly, accepted, leaning into her side.

"Every friend I ever had- thought I had. Everyone always leaves…"

"Oh, Skull Kid," Saria said quietly. "That's not true, you know I would never leave you, right?"

"That's what everyone says…"

Navi could not stay quiet any longer.

"H-Hey, Link doesn't want to leave though!"

Skull Kid sprang to his feet, spinning around. Saria whipped her head around but stood slowly. Link, cover blown, slowly emerged from his hiding spot. Skull Kid squeezed his hands into fists before lowering his head and averting his gaze.

"H-how long have you been there?" The boy grumbled.

"Since you quit playing your music," Navi responded, fluttering around Link for a moment before flying over to the other two. "We've been looking for you all evening Skull Kid, Link's been worried sick!"

Skull Kid tilted his head up to look at the other skull kid. Link's eyes seemed to waver in the dark. "You… have?"

"Of course we have! Why wouldn't he be worried when his friend runs off all upset?"

"Then… did you decide to stay?"

Link averted his gaze. "Well…"

"Oh."

An awkward silence stretched out. But, surprisingly, it was Link that broke the silence.

"I… didn't mean to hurt you when I said I was leaving. It's just… You know better than anyone I've always felt… connected to the Kokiri Forest. Like there's something I'm forgetting that I had to do there before… you know… And… maybe this was it."

"But," Skull Kid countered, "you don't even know the Great Deku Tree. You've known me for a long time, and you're going to choose some tree over me?"

"... I did meet him, once. That's how he knew my name."

Skull Kid's eyes tilted up to meet Links.

"It was… a little bit after we first met, I believe. I was sneaking around the Kokiri Forest at night and got my directions mixed up. I ended up in front of the tree and it started to rain, and he offered me shelter."

"I remember that," Saria piped up. "It was when we first met, too. You fell asleep among the Great Deku Tree's roots. I woke you and sent you on your way before anyone else could find you there."

Link nodded. "So when his last request-"

"Last?" Saria interjected.

"He…" Navi started. "I… I'm sorry, The Great Deku Tree is dead," When Saria opened her mouth to let out a gasp and took a step back, she added, "Sorry you had to find out this way. We were trying to save him but… it was too late."

Saria turned her head, trying to hide the tears threating to spill over as she did her best to keep her voice steady. "I see…"

"He asked Link to take something to the princess of Hyrule. And that's what lead to now."

Saria took a seat on the ground, legs suddenly feeling weak.

"Someone really evil hurt the Great Deku Tree. That's why Link is leaving to warn the princess. Because if the bad guy wins, we could all be in danger."

Saria knit her brows together and took a deep breath. "It's… a lot to take in all at once. I, guess I'm not all that surprised. About you leaving, I mean. You've always been a little different, certainly different from myself and the Kokiri, but different from the other skull kids too. But, even when we're apart, we can still be friends, right?"

Link considered her words, then gave a nod, his mouth parting to show the smallest of smiles.

Then he turned his attention to Skull Kid, who had turned away.

"Skull Kid… I'm sorry. I didn't know how much me leaving would hurt you. But, I won't be gone forever. Hopefully, once I deliver the stone, I can come back home. And then we can go back to playing again. No matter what, I swear I'm going to come back."

Skull Kid finally looked back up. "Do you… do you promise? You have to promise that you'll come back." He held out his hand, extending a pinky.

Without hesitation, Link reached out and linked his pinky with Skull Kid's, then pulled his friend in for a big hug. They embraced for several minutes before Saria cut in.

"Sorry to bother you two, but I have something for you Link." She reached into her pockets and fished something out. It was an instrument, made of wood and similar to a potato in shape.

Link pulled away and accepted the instrument in his hands. It was suspended on a string, allowing him to place it around his neck.

"This is a Fairy Ocarina. It's carved from the wood of the Great Deku Tree. It has magical properties because of that. If you play my song, you can talk to me at any time. And if Skull Kid is with me, you can talk to him too."

Link's face lit up, and he leaned forward to give Saria a hug too. "Thank you so, so much Saria. I'll take good care of it."

Saria smiled sadly. "Why don't we get you set for your trip then, so you can leave first thing in the morning. You need a scabbard for that sword of yours. And you could really use a shield too. I can get you one from the Kokiri Shop. But then I need to start… preparing funeral arrangements I guess… It's weird. Death isn't something us Kokiri usually have to deal with."

Skull Kid sniffed, then wiped the bottom of his beak with his glove. "I think Mido has a scabbard that he isn't using. I could get it for you."

"I thought you didn't know who Mido was," Link pointed out.

"Did I say that?" Skull Kid responded, looking away in faux innocence. If he was still upset, he sure was doing a good job of hiding it.

Link laughed. He was really, really going to miss these guys.

* * *

Dawn came far earlier than Link had expected. When the three had parted ways, he had headed straight home to rest up. But he'd first spent time getting his belongings stashed away. Skull Kid could watch his house some, but he would not want some other skull kid or a wild animal stealing all his stuff or worse: moving in.

His friends were already waiting for him when he reached the bridge outside Kokiri forest. Saria held a small, wooden shield at her side, while Skull Kid was - very badly - hiding a scabbard behind his back and grinning sheepishly. He could not catch Saria's words from where he was, but she certainly looked like she was giving one heck of a lecture. He only managed to catch the last few words.

"So, as I was saying, _please_ stay out of Mido's hair. He's a good guy once you get to know him, really."

"I'm a pretty good guy too, but you don't see me bragging."

Saria shook her head, then, noticing Link, put on a smile. "There you are! We've been waiting for you!"

Link smiled, and Navi popped out from under his cap. He approached Saria first, giving her a hug before accepting the shield and strapping it onto his back.

"Stay safe, okay?"

He nodded, then turned his attention to Skull Kid. He took the scabbard first, adjusting it so that he could sling it over his shoulder before sheathing the sword, then quickly wrapped his friend in a big snug hug.

"Ack! Link! Too tight!"

Link released his friend with a sheepish grin. "Sorry."

Skull Kid gave a satisfied nod, then leaned in to give Link a looser hug. "Remember, you promised."

Link wrapped his arms back around his friend. "You know you could come with me, if you wanted to."

For a moment, Skull Kid's eyes lit up. But he quickly shook his head. "Thanks, I'd love to go on a big adventure with you, but… I don't think they could handle the two of us. Besides, who would watch all your stuff then?" He giggled, then grew more serious. "But you better call Saria every day. I'll be waiting to hear from you!"

Link nodded slightly. "Don't worry, I will. I'll be back before you know it."

Skull Kid nodded and finally let go, taking a step back, and tapped his hands together nervously.

For a second, Link closed his eyes. He could just stay here. He _wanted_ to stay here with his friends. But it seemed like fate did not agree. So, with one final wave to his friends, he took off, dashing through the tunnel leading out of the forest.

* * *

It felt Like Link walked through the woods for a long time after leaving his friends behind. So long, in fact, that he wondered it would ever actually end. Was the world really just one big forest? Navi had stopped flying behind after a while, and instead chosen to nestle underneath his cap.

But finally, the trees began to thin, and more and more sunlight began to filter through the gaps. Link blinked as his eyes adjusted to the brighter light. To either side, the ground began to incline steeply, leaving a narrow path to continue down, until finally, the trees came to an end.

Encouraged, Link raced forward to the end of the path, stopping short of the end to take a look around where the walls dropped out.

In front of him stretched out a field, like one of the many meadows that dotted the lost woods. But larger. _Much_ larger. A few trees dotted the landscape here and there, but otherwise, it was grass as far as the eye could see. He could not even see the other end of it!

As he slowly made his way out to the open, he heard a heavy flutter of wings behind him. He ignored it at first. Birds were extremely common in the forest, after all.

"Hoot hoot! Link, up here!"

Link whipped around, beginning to reach for his sword. He had seen a lot of birds in his lifetime, but never any that could talk.

The bird resting in the tree in front of him was huge, more than twice his size, and far larger than any bird he had ever seen. It was some type of owl, mostly covered in dark brown feathers, excluding its creamy chest and face. Its beak, too, was the same brown color, and just above it sprouted two huge feathers, similar to eyebrows. When the bird flipped his head upside down for a moment, the darker markings below his face created a second, fake face.

"Hoo hoo, there's no need for weapons my boy, I mean you no harm."

Link looked unconvinced, but slowly let his grip on the sword loosen when the bird made no movement to swoop down on him.

Satisfied, the bird bobbed it's head up and down before beginning his speech.

"Well, well, it looks like the time has finally come for you to start your adventure!" Before Link had a chance to question how the bird would know anything about his quest, let alone why he would know something like his name, the bird continued with more cryptic statements.

"You will encounter many hardships ahead... That is your fate. Don't feel discouraged, even during the toughest times!"

Link couldn't help but gulp and honestly considered reaching for his sword again. But instead he continued to listen to the bird's advice.

Go straight this way and you will see Hyrule Castle. You will meet a princess there… As long as you head forward, you can't miss it."

"But what if we do?" Navi asked, emerging from Link's cap to speak for him.

"I hope you would have a map, but if not, there are not many places you could go as you currently are, you will find your way there in time. Did you get all that?"

Link nodded his head slowly, before opening his mouth to question the bird. But he did not get a chance as it began to flap its great wings and take to the air.

"Wait!" Navi called out. "At least give us your name!"

"You may call me Kaepora Gaebora, small one!" The owl called out behind him as he began to climb higher into the sky. "We will meet again later, do take care!" And without another word, the owl was out of range, leaving Navi and Link with more questions than answers.

For a moment, Link stood in stunned silence, trying to process exactly what happened. But Navi did not give him much time.

"Come on Link, we should hurry if we want to make it to the castle by nightfall!"

The thought of being left exposed in the dark was enough to get the skull kid moving. With a quick nod, he took off in the direction the owl had suggested. He sure hoped he had not been lying.

Next stop Hyrule Castle.

* * *

 **A/N:** _For those of you that were expecting Skull Kid to go with Link and might be disappointed that he did not, don't worry. He has a MAJOR role in the story yet, he's just taking a back burner position for a little while._

 _I worried a little about the pacing of this chapter a little, but even though it may look like they got things all wrapped up neatly before leaving, I can assure you that things are not all nice and neat._


	6. Skeletons, Masks, and Other Goodies

"Wait!"

But the drawbridge did not wait. As Link raced in forward in vain hopes of jumping and making it in time, he had to skid to a stop, teetering dangerously at the edge, threatening to topple over into the moat below.

Navi looped around to the front of him and gave him just the slightest of pushes to bring him back to stable ground. He fell back with a thump, and the drawbridge rumbled to a stop in front of him.

He let out a sigh, then glanced back to the sun as it slowly dipped below the horizon, the sky a blazing orange. Somewhere in the distance, he heard the sound of a wolf. Or a wolfos. It did not matter either way; it was not safe here in the open.

He climbed back to his feet and, keeping low to the ground, began to make his way around the edge of the town walls, hoping in vain that there might be some sort of way he could get in. Not even teleportation magic could help him here, even if he was skilled enough to use it - he would have had to have a clear vision of the area he was trying to warp to.

His search for an entrance was quickly proving fruitless, and as the sky turned to night, a spike of uneasiness edged in his stomach. Or maybe it was hunger, or both.

Up ahead he spotted a small tree. It wasn't the sturdiest one he'd ever seen, a dwarf in comparison to the great trunks of the trees in the Lost Woods. But never the less, it was large enough that he could climb up and rest in it for a while. He took off towards it at a trot, continuing to stay low to the ground.

As soon as he was close enough, he sprang up, grabbing hold of the lowest sturdy branch, and swung himself higher to a thicker branch that he could sit on. It was not an ideal resting spot, but it would work.

He sat with his back to the trunk and reached down into the sack he had brought along in search of food. He had not been able to pack much: a few berries for today and some nuts were all he could carry. Most of his foods would have spoiled quickly during travel. He would have to see if he could get ahold of something more filling in the town tomorrow.

Picking a particularly juicy looking berry, he tossed it into the air, popping it into his mouth with a snap. As he continued to chew on the succulent fruits, he glanced up to the rising moon. It had taken him only a day to get here, but still it already felt like he'd been gone from the forest forever. Already he was missing playing music with Skull Kid in the moonlight or playing tag with other skull kids in the dark. He even missed sneaking into the Kokiri Forest in search of abandoned rupees and knickknacks (and sometimes not-so abandoned treasures, if he was honest with himself. But hey, he can say with pride that he never attacked someone to take their valuables, so that's something!)

He glanced down and rolled around one of the berries in between his fingers, wondering if he could find the forests delicacies out here in the big open world. He did not like this "Hyrule Field." It was not like the forest, with hiding places everywhere. Instead, he felt open and exposed, visible to everyone who wanted or did not want to see him.

He was snapped out of his thoughts by the sounds of dirt shuffling below him, rattling coming from within. A rattling not unlike his kind's own. Cautious, he glanced down. A skeletal hand had broken the surface, a second one widening the hole close behind. A head poked out of the ground; a skull, more specifically. The rest of the body came rolling after, reassembling itself once each part reached the surface. For the most part it was humanoid, but the creature's face jutted out far more than a human skull would, looking a bit more canine in appearance. Several other bodies seemed to be coming to the surface further out, shambling about the field. He wondered if perhaps this was part of why the town's gates were closed.

"Navi, what is that?" Link whispered to the fairy peeking out from under his cap.

"They're stallchildren," Navi explained in a hushed voice. "They're a species related to stalfos."

"Where do they come from?"

"Stalfos usually come from two places- adults lost in the woods, or people who died in battle. Stallchildren are… well… I don't know for sure. They could be anything from children to adult civilians that were killed in battle, possibly?"

Link was about to ask for more clarification, but his voice caught in his throat when he looked back down to the stallchild below them… who was staring right back up at him.

He blinked, his glowing blue orbs flickering out for just a split second, and the creature's red-orange orbs blinked back. Slowly, it raised a hand in greeting. He slowly waved back.

"I think it's friendly," Link whispered to his fairy.

"They're not known to be friendly or kind to humans, or most living species in general." she countered. And then something clicked in her mind. "But you're not really totally alive yourself, are you?"

Link tilted his head inquisitively, shrugging.

"Never mind, we'll talk about it some other time."

With his curiosity getting the better of him, Link slowly started to slide down from the tree, gripping hold of the branch until he was hanging from it so that he minimized his fall. He landed with a soft thump.

A couple more of the stallchildren had taken notice of him and had begun to hobble over curiously. As he tilted his head at the stallchild in front of him, it mirrored his movements. Once the other two had arrived, the three began to talk in hushed whispers.

"What is it? What is it?"

"Is… it is not human?"

"Is not like us? What is it?"

One of them - the largest one - hesitantly reached a bony hand out. Link took a couple steps back, but that only made it move faster. It took hold of his arm, ignoring his cry of surprise, and looked it over."

"Is wood, like tree!"

"Is tree?"

"Is a tree!"

"I'm not a tree!" Link countered, and when he spoke, the one gripping his arm recoiled suddenly.

"It spoke!"

"It speaks!"

"What is it, then?"

Navi, building up her courage, popped out from beneath Link's hat and fluttered in front of him defensively. "He is _not_ a tree. He is a skull kid, from the Lost Woods!"

"Not tree!"

"A fairy!"

"Skull kid!"

His eyes drifted between the three of them, and he was starting to wonder if they had interacted with _anyone_ outside of themselves.

Finally, the first one that had spotted him spoke up, finally addressing him directly. "You are skull kid from the forest… and… have fairy. Is a skull kid friendly?"

He considered the question for a moment, then nodded. "If you are friendly, I am. My name is Link."

"Link!"

"You look similar to a tree, but also similar to stallchild. Why?"

"Because he is similar to a stallchild," Navi explained. "He was lost in the forest when he was young, he became a skull kid, like you became a stallchild when you died."

"Me? I don't remember being not a stallchild!" The leader argued. The other two nodded in agreement, rattling.

"I don't remember not being a skull kid either," Link admitted. "All I remember is my name. And pain, and then being a skull kid. Everyone says I was not a skull kid before, but they don't know who I was."

The stallchildren seemed to think it over, then the leader nodded in acceptance. "Well, tonight, you are Friend!" It threw its hands up in the air, rattling its bones.

The other two threw their hands up in the air and said in unison, "Friend!" And before Link could say anything the three surrounded him, and began to walk in a circle around him, doing a funny little rattling dance.

But finally, the first one broke away from their dance.

"If friend is from the forest, why is friend so far from forest?" It asked.

Link pointed to the walls beyond the moat. "I'm trying to get inside to go see the princess."

The leader let out a tiny surprised noise, while the other two looked to each other and with whispers of "princess?"

Then the leader laughed. "Friend is funny! Humans not let monsters into town, unless monsters bring wares and good tidings for sale!"

The idea of being referred to as a monster made Link uncomfortable. He wasn't a monster, he was himself! But to a human… he would appear monstrous or as a spirit, with his wooden body and glowing eyes and pointy teeth, and the dark spirit energy that allowed his body to move.

On the topic of merchant monsters, Link could only guess that they meant the Deku Scrubs he occasionally saw peddling goods from their flowers. Sometimes, they would tell stories of great human towns if they were bored, for a few rupees of course.

"They won't let anyone in till morning," the leader continued, with agreeing echoes of "morning coming from the other two."

Link let out a sigh. He expected as much, but still, he would have liked to get in sooner. The night had just fallen, and with the stallchildren roaming the field, he felt like he'd have a hard time getting to sleep for some time.

"Would Friend like to play while he waits?"

"Friend play?"

"Can play with friend?"

Link considered the invitation for a moment. On one hand, he didn't want to tire himself out and have to sleep through part of the day. Then again, he would likely not have another chance to play with someone until he returned to the forest after this trip. Maybe it wouldn't hurt?

So finally, the skull kid nodded, earning cheers from the trio in front of him.

"Yay!"

"Come this way, this way!"

Link followed as the group of stallchildren hobbled off. Their skeletal joints, though magically animated, did not seem to give them the same speed that he had.

Hours began to whittle away as the group began to play. Hide and seek was not a possibility in the wide-open spaces. But tag seemed to be a favorite. Playing catch with rocks also seemed to amuse the stallchilderen. Even if they got hit and fell apart, their body would just reassemble itself a moment later, and it was back into the game.

What interested them more, however, was Link's flute, the odd shape in his pocket catching the attention of the lead stallchild.

"What is?" He asked, pointing to the shape.

"Oh, it's my flute," Link responded, reaching in to pull the object out.

"You can play music?"

When Link nodded, one of the other stallchildren called out, "Show us!"

So, link began to play, thoughtfully avoiding Saria's song among the tunes he picked out and made up, as something about it felt sacred and special to him, like it was a song he should only share in special cases. Before long, the group had broken into dance, three pale figures and one ashen one twisting and turning in the moonlight

Despite what he had thought would happen, the night seemed to pass in the blink of an eye. Sure, he was a little drowsy at the end, but it had been worth it.

The larger stallchild was the first to notice the thin sliver of sunlight on the horrizon.

"Uh oh," he said.

Link turned his attention to the leader, then to the other two. They were all gazing to the sunrise now.

"Sun is coming."

"Time to go."

The trio began hobbling back to where they had first popped out of the ground, Link trailing after curiously.

"They are creatures of darkness, nocturnal," Navi explained as the first one reached its hole and began to disassemble. "They need to return to the soil by daybreak, both to conserve energy, and to protect themselves from travelers."

The bones began rolling back into the ground, first the legs and torso, then the head. The hands came last, pulling the dirt it had unearthed back over itself. The other two were doing similar. Before the sun could finally begin to rise above the horizon, the leader turned its head back to Link and gave a goodbye wave.

"Come back and play again sometime!" It called out. Then it too, was gone.

Link gave one last wave, then dropped his arms to his sides and found himself staring for a moment, until he heard a creaking behind him. The bridge was coming down; he remembered his quest.

Not wanting to waste another moment, he turned, and sprinted back towards the town gates.

* * *

The first thing he noticed about the town was that even in the early morning hours, it was already becoming busy.

Nervous about how the humans - especially the adults, after his time speaking with the stallchildren - would react to him, Link made his way around the edge of the town square through the shadows, taking care not to let anyone lock gazes with him. Images of being surrounded by big, scary humans with fire crossed his mind, and he shivered involuntarily. That was just about the worst thing that could happen. At least, he hoped it was.

He was almost all the way across the center square when he slipped up.

He glanced towards where he could see the castle in the distance, then back towards the square to make sure he was not being followed. His eyes locked with someone.

She was a young girl, short, only about as tall as he himself was. Her skin was tanned, likely the result of being out in the sun a lot. Her clothes were rather plain, wearing work boots and a white dress that was only decorated by the blue trim at the bottom and along the sleeves. The only other article of clothing she wore was a yellow handkerchief tied around her neck in a knot. Otherwise she wore no gems or accessories, like many of the girls and women in the square were. Her hair was a bright, flaming orange, contrasting her otherwise fairly light appearance.

She let out a tiny gasp when she noticed him from across the square, and he froze. For a moment, he closed his eyes, hoping that doing so would make him appear invisible or innocent. But it made him feel exposed, unable to see if anyone was advancing. When he opened his eyes again, she was still staring, but had made no movement otherwise. He carefully began to creep forward again. Still no movement. Finally, not wanting to risk it any longer, he took off down the side of the road, making a dash to get out of the town before anyone else noticed him.

It was not long before he'd left the bulk of the town behind him. Two dirt and stone walls lead him forward as the distant castle grew closer and closer. Every few minutes, he glanced back to see if someone had spotted him and sounded some sort of alarm. Fortunately, he managed to get through without trouble for some time.

Eventually, the dirt path opened up into a clearing. At the top of the far side, he suspected there was a field, and beyond the field, the castle stood starkly against the morning sky. As he began to stalk into the open area, he heard a great flapping from a singular tree in front of him. The owl from before was back. Though this time, it did not stick around, instead electing to take off with just a single warning.

"Be careful not to be spotted by the guards!" The bird hooted, before taking off back in the direction of the town.

Link adjusted the strap of his scabbard nervously. He knew little about human culture, but he supposed that it would make sense they would guard something as grand as a castle. Mido did the same with the Deku Tree, after all. Sort of.

The boy rounded the corner, and already came to his first obstacle. Instead of a freely accessible path, the road was blocked by a huge stone gate, two bored guards staring ahead.

He slipped back around the corner, then peeked around the side again. They hadn't seemed to notice him from here. But walking forward would certainly end in being turned away at best.

As he sat down with his back to the stone and dirt wall to consider his options, Navi poked out from under his hat and began to flutter about. She flew around the corner herself first, then back down the other way.

"Link, over here!"

Link glanced up and over in the direction of the fairy's voice. She had stopped in front of a spot on the wall, hovering in place. As Link approached to get a better look, he noticed there was thick vine growth, leading all the way to the top of the wall. He could climb from here.

He took a moment to adjust his equipment, then, taking a hand hold of the vines, began to scale the plants. Just like in the Deku Tree. Just like at home. It was almost second nature, finding handholds and sturdy footing.

As he pulled himself over the top, he could finally get a better look out in front of him. As he suspected, past the gate the path continued, and across from him, a field separated him from the castle, which was also surrounded by a gate.. A path started from the top of the gate that blocked the road as well - which acted as a bridge between the side he was currently standing on, and the field.

He began to slowly creep towards the gate, but as he drew close, he realized that a guard blocked the path there too. He would continue further, but the cliff he was on came to an end where the bridge met. Perhaps he would have a better chance if he waited until night. But… that was so far away. No, he would continue his attempt, even if he did stick out in daylight like a sore thumb.

He came to a stop at the edge of the bridge. If the guard had noticed him yet, he did not react. Link glanced down the side of the path and saw, disheartened, that several other guards lined the cliff, looking down into the path below. Maybe the bird was wrong. Maybe if he just walked over to the guard, they'd let him through? He supposed it was worth a shot.

Slowly, tentatively, he approached the adult man, keeping himself low to the ground and hoping he appeared non-threatening. The man finally seemed to take notice of him as he crept closer, and moved to an offensive stance, holding his weapon, a long spear, out in front of him.

"You, monster child, what do you think you're doing here?"

Link immediately froze in place. _Monster child?_ He had certainly been called some mean things before by frightened or angry Kokiri, or even some of the other intelligent forest dwellers like the Deku. Creepy, or an imp, mostly. But even if he had been warned, _monster_ was just plain insulting.

"I- I was just-" He stammered, taking a step back in time as the guard stepped forward. "From… from the forest, to see the princess?"

His explanation did not cut it. The guard jabbed his spear towards the child threateningly.

"You're not welcome here. Begone, before I am forced to remove you."

"But I-"

"Link, _go._ " Navi hissed from behind him. He took one more step back, and then not wanting to be pushed off the bridge or worse, just turned and jumped himself, falling off the side and landing with a roll. Springing back to his feet, he scampered around the corner and out of sight.

Once out of view, he leaned back against the stone and dirt wall and sank to the ground, hands over his knees. "That went well," he mumbled.

"Do you think they might move when it gets dark? Or at least later in the day?" Navi asked. "I hate to wait for so long, but maybe when they change shifts, it would give us a chance to sneak by?"

Link gave the fairy a nod and sighed, closing his eyes. Waiting could be so _boring_ though, and it was only just barely morning! Then again, he had not slept the night before. Maybe it would not be a bad idea to get some rest.

He dug into one of his pouches, pulling out the remainder of the berries he had brought with him. That's right, he was going to look for more food, wasn't he? He glanced back to the town. He had a little money, if the rupee things that he had collected over the years were as valuable as Saria had claimed. Surely some poor shop keep would take pity on him and sell him something to eat, even if he wasn't human like them?

With something to do for the time being, he stood and began the walk back to the town square.

Link was quiet as they made the trek back to town, head turned down slightly. Navi fluttered along behind silently, for a time. But eventually, she broke the silence, concern tinting her voice.

"Link… are you okay?"

"I'm fine," he murmured, shaking his head.

"Is this about the guard?" She asked.

No answer.

"Ah… I understand," She responded.

He slowed to a stop. Navi slowly landed on his shoulder. "I know it's awful, and awfully mean, but you do have to remember that the forest dwelling races don't leave very often, the only exception being the Deku Scrubs. They can't really be blamed for not knowing what you are."

"I guess…"

"Besides," she continued. "He's a guard. It's his job to turn people away." She paused for a moment, then nuzzled up against Link's cheek. "Now come on, let's find you some food. In fact, going into town may not be a bad idea. I'm sure there will be some people there at least that are more open-minded. Hylians aren't the only race in Hyrule, after all."

Link lifted his head, slightly cheered. With just a bit more pep in his step, he continued on back towards the town.

* * *

The town square was even busier by the time they returned. Merchant stalls had set up along the edges, most gathering large crowds of people out doing their morning shopping. Others milled about, some chatting, others just hurrying around. One man in particular seemed to circle about the area carrying a large bag upon his back, but never really interacted with anyone.

Link felt just a bit overwhelmed. Even in its busiest times, the Kokiri Forest wasn't nearly this crowded. He moved about in a sort of daze, trying to look over each stall in hopes of finding one he could get food from that he would not have to push past droves of adults to reach. But each one just seemed busier than the last.

Someone bumped into the small boy. He stumbled. Whoever it was did not even seem to notice. Before he caught his footing, another almost trampled him; he only just barely managed to scamper out of the way.

With an anxious cry, he retreated to the edges of the square, choosing to just watch the madness. It was too much for the small boy to handle right now. Hoping that he could return later, and it would be emptier, he turned his attention to the buildings along the edges of the square.

One particularly gaudy place caught his eye, with walls painted greed, and red and gold fabric draped along the sides. A huge, equally gaudy sign adorned the building above the entrance. With curiosity gripping him, Link approached.

"Happy… mask… shop…" Navi read slowly, as if in disbelief. "Link, please don't waste any money here, please? We don't know how expensive food and other necessities will be."

Link shrugged, then moved to open the door, stepping into the fanciful building.

The inside was even more fancy and extravagant than it had been outside. An ornate carpet greeted Link's dirt-covered boots. Above him hung stained glass orbs, torchlight shining from inside. Like outside, the inner walls were also draped with fabric.

But the real stars were the masks.

Shelves, filled with dozens of masks, line the wall on either side of Link. One was of a green monster, a blue band painted along the eyes. Another was of a horrifying human face.

"May I help you?"

Link startled, turning his attention to the counter at the end of the way. There stood a man, still as a statue, adorned in robes of royal purple and gold.

The boy slowly approached the counter, tilting his head curiously at the man. "Hiyee!" He started in far too cheerful of a tone. "Welcome to the Happy Mask Shop! We deal in masks that bring happiness to everyone!"

"Everyone?" Link asked, awed.

"Everyone?" Navi echoed skeptically.

"That's right!" The man responded. " _Everyone!_ How would you like to be a happiness salesman?"

"Uh…"

"Allow me to explain. I'll lend you a mask. You sell the mask and bring the money back here.  
If you want to read the fine print, take a look at the sign right over there." He gestured to his right to a huge sign. "After you've sold all the masks, you will become happy yourself! Simple really, you see?"

"I mean-"

"Your masks will be filled with happiness, you just need to have faith… believe… believe…"

Link began to take a step back, feeling more than a bit creeped out. However, something caught the corner of his eye, and with a deep breath, he stepped forward again, hands on the counter.

"What if… What if I just wanted to purchase that one?" He pointed to the side of the man's head to a white mask, with carved holes and features similar to a skull. Not a human skull though, as it had horns that jutted out.

"Link, what did I just say outside," Navi protested.

"It's not for me," he countered. "It's for Skully. He loves masks! I know he'd just love that one."

"Ahem-" the salesman cut in. "I'm afraid I cannot sell you the mask. You see, these are for the business arrangement I mentioned. No, I cannot sell, it but I can lend it."

Link considered it for a moment. "Fine, fine, lend it to me."

"I can't do that either. First you have to sell this mask."

The man reached up to grab a different mask. This one was a bright yellow, with a brown nose, it's appearance similar to an animal. He placed the mask into Link's hands with a bit of force.

Link looked down to the mask in his hands, then to the salesman. Then to the skull mask. Back to the salesman. His grip on the mask tightened, eyes narrowing slightly.

"Link…"

Suddenly, he chucked the mask at the man's head with all the force he could muster. The man stumbled back from the surprising force of the blow and fell back, dazed.

Immediately, Link vaulted over the counter, jumping up to grab the skull mask.

"Link NO!" Navi called out.

He paused, looking at her, then paused only long enough to fish a couple of rupees - a blue and a green - and dropped them in the man's lap before vaulting back over and dashing out.

"See, I paid for it, _technically not_ stealing!"

Navi let out a frustrated huff but followed behind anyways as he dashed out the door.

Once he had emerged out into the fresh air, Link took a moment to turn the mask over in his hands, admiring the handiwork.

Navi flew into his line of sight, buzzing close to his face. "Link," she started slowly, stressing her words out. "That was a horrible idea. Do not. Do. That. Again. Understand?"

The boy stared for a moment, then smiled and laughed, nodding. Despite his answer, Navi suspected he had not learned his lesson at all.

With a sigh, she turned her attention to the market stalls around them. They had begun to clear a little in the time Link had been gone. "Let's just hurry up and get you something to eat. And maybe a larger bag would be a good idea too… Huh?"

When she turned back to address him, Link was already gone. She whipped around, looking for any hint of ashy brown and green, finally spotting him all the way across the square.

He had stopped in front of a food stall, staring intently a bit of a ways away. Navi dashed over, bumping into him slightly to announce her presence.

"Hey!" she cried out in exasperation. "Don't just run off like that! _Please!_ "

Link turned his head back to look at her, staring for a moment before raising an arm to point at the stand he was standing in front of. "I want some of that."

"That" happened to be a pastry stand, much of it already gone from the morning rush. But several items remained here and there.

Navi let out a sigh. She would have to give her lesson another time. "...Okay. Pick _one._ "

"I want them _all,_ " he responded.

" _Two._ No more. You need money for other things too, you know."

He finally conceded, sighing with a nod. "Fiiiiine."

Navi approached the stand first, Link following close behind. The woman behind the counter had her back turned, busy wrapping more of the pastries for sale, humming a little tune.

"Excuse me," Navi said, loud enough to catch the woman's attention.

"Yes," the woman started, turning. "How may I help yooouUUUUOH MY GODDESSES!"

Link blinked at the woman, tilting his head curiously. Was… was she okay?

"My… goodness," she started, calming herself and trying to relieve some of the shock to save the encounter. "Aren't you a… unique little one. I've never seen someone like you around here."

Navi flew forward to make her presence known, before landing on Link's head. "He's with me, he saw your display and just had to get something."

"Oh…" She started, eyes on the fairy. "Of… of course! What would you like, little one?"

Link considered, beginning to look over his choices.

"Remember," Navi pointed out. "Two."

After some moments of deliberation, Link pointed first to a rectangular treat, then second to one with fruit folded into it. "These two… Please?"

"Of course!" The woman responded, reaching for a paper to wrap them in. "That will be… seven rupees, please."

Link reached into his money pouch, looking at the rupees inside quizzically. "... Navi, how much is seven?"

"You can give her a blue and two green ones, Link."

"Isn't that three?"

"The blue one is worth five."

The boy nodded enthusiastically and fished for the change, pulling them out and placing them on the counter. The woman slowly and carefully handed him his pastries in return, eyes on his rough wooden hands.

The boy flashed a toothy grin, then turned to hurry off, Navi fluttering behind. "Thank you!" She called out to the woman before turning her attention to Link.

"Okay, how many rupees do you have in there? Next, a bag."

* * *

Even after all the time he spent in the village square, it was only barely after noon when the skull kid found himself wandering back towards the castle.

His new bag was filled with odd delicacies that the forest had never offered. Breads and pastries and all sorts of sweets, dried meats and loose grains all were wrapped up inside. He'd even managed to trade the small pouch he had been using to store slingshot ammo for a larger one. At least someone in this Castle Town place appreciated his slingshot skills!

But now, he still had several hours to pass. He took a seat down beside the vines he had climbed before. He and Navi agreed that jumping over the bridge and following the path during the changing of the guards would be the quickest and safest way to cross.

As he munched on a few of the fresh berries he'd exchanged the last of his rupees for, Navi came to settle on his knee. "I'm going to go scout ahead," she announced. "So I can find the best route into the castle and watch for when the guards change. Is that okay? Will you be alright for a little while?"

Link finished off the last of his fruit, and then nodded, pulling out a loaf of bread and tearing a small piece off. Satisfied, Navi took to the air again.

"Stay here, okay?" When he nodded again, she fluttered off, the quiet jingle of flight dying away as she left.

Once Link had ate his fill, he started to doze off for a while. But his sleep was fitful in the open area, nervous of someone sneaking up on him while he slept. So, after some time he sat back up and reached into his pocket for his flute, then, deciding against it, reached for the ocarina Saria had given him instead. It was the first time he was actually getting a good look at it, and as he slowly turned it over, he realized the fact that though he knew quite a bit about music in general, he had no idea how to play this particular instrument.

Slowly he brought the instrument up to his mouth, allowing his slender, wooden fingers to cover the holes, hoping he was correctly mimicking the way he had seen Saria hold hers. Not wanting to alert the guards, he blew a soft note into the instrument, playing a single, out of tune note.

Well, it was a start.

Blowing into the Ocarina was different from his flute. He had to position his mouth differently, and make sure he was properly covering each of the holes. Adjusting, he blew again, much more satisfied with the note that came out this time. He raised a single finger, comparing the sound. It was higher. Less fingers mostly meant higher.

He could not say for sure how long he spent picking notes at the ocarina, but finally, he had figured out enough to replay Saria's song. He slowly played the song, picking out the notes slowly, then faster as he memorized each note and finger placement, until finally, he could play the whole thing up to speed.

As he finally brought the instrument away from his mouth, he heard soft clapping to his side.

He immediately sprang to his feet and whipped around, raising one arm defensively while quickly stashing the ocarina away protectively, eliciting a gasp from his audience.

As he looked the person over, he realized that he recognized her. It was the girl that had spotted him that morning, that had locked eyes with him for some time, until he'd gathered the courage to leave.

The girl had taken a nervous couple steps back when he had hopped up so suddenly. But when she made no move to harm him, he relaxed, and she, in response, relaxed too. After a moment, she was smiling, hands clasped together.

"Wow, you're really good at music. Did you write that song?"

Link blinked once, his blue orbs flickering out and then back. "Oh, no, one of my friends made it up." He took a moment to fumble with and hastily stash the ocarina away, not wanting to risk the precious object becoming damaged.

The girl giggled, whether it be at his reaction or something else, he was unsure. But he couldn't help but smile sheepishly back. "Hee, hee, I've never seen anything like you before. What are you?"

His smile faltered just slightly. Not who, _what._ Being referred to as a thing had not bothered him as much when the stallchildren had done so; surely, they had little interaction with others living in the earth like they seemed to. But the Kokiri always referred to him as a person. And he always assumed that humans would too. In fact, most of the adults had referred to him as a person, had they not?

But she was a child like him, he had to remind himself. Perhaps she did not know. Perhaps it had just been the slip of her tongue. Still, his mind drifted back to the way the guard from before had referred to him, as a monster child.

Forcing the thought out of his mind, he finally responded honestly. "I'm a skull kid, from the forest."

She giggled again, repeating the words a couple times to get a feel for them. "Skullkid… Skull kid... Hee hee, that's a silly word. Do you have a name, skull kid?"

"Link," he responded with a nod.

The girl tilted her head from side to side, considering his name, then clasped her hands together. "Link is a funny name, it fits you! My name is Malon! Do you know any other songs, forest boy?"

Link was not sure if he should be flattered or insulted, but he chose to take it as a compliment. It was better to have friends than enemies, right? His hand reached back to grab the fairy ocarina, but instead he shifted his hand to another pocket and pulled out his more familiar flute.

He took a second to adjust his fingers, and then began to play, fingers expertly flying up and down, a merry tune coming out. He swayed from side to side, keeping his music in time. Malon clapped along to the beat, occasionally letting out a laugh or a little cheer. For moment, he forgot where he was, closing his eyes to imagine himself back on the tree stumps in the Lost Woods, playing along with his best friend in the world. It had only been two and a half days now since they had played together that morning, but already, with so many things happening in such a short time, it felt so, so far away.

When his tune came to an end and he opened his eyes again though, he was not in the noisy green forest clearing, but the quiet road on the way to the castle.

Malon clapped. "That was so cool Link! Do you know anymore songs?"

Link nodded, but before he could raise the flute up to his mouth again, Navi flew down from above, urgency in her voice.

"The guards are about to change Link, we need to go now, or it may be a while before we get another chance!"

Link looked to the side to Malon. He was having fun… but this was more important. He nodded to Navi, stuffing his flute back into his pockets, and turned to climb the vines like he had before.

"Wait!" Malon cried out, reaching an arm out to grab his shoulder.

Link paused, looking back to the red-headed girl. She pulled her arm away then hesitated.

"Are you… going to the castle?" When Link nodded in confirmation, she continued. "In that case… could you… do me a favor and look for my dad? He went to the castle this morning for a delivery, but he hasn't come back yet, and I'm getting worried… His name is Talon. He's wearing a red shirt and blue overalls - do you know what those are? Anyways, he's reaaaallllly big." She stretched her arms out wide.

Link considered it for a moment. Well… he was going to the castle anyways, he supposed. He nodded to the girl again. She started to say something, but Navi's voice cut in. "Come on Link, hurry, we won't have much time!"

With no time to spare, Link waved a final goodbye before he turned his focus back to the climb, scrambling up just as he had earlier.


	7. Castle Crawl

**A/N:** _Apologies for the delay in posting. Unfortunately, new chapters will likely be every other week, possibly monthly depending on how much time I have, as college is starting back up. I'm determined to see this story through to the end though, so please, enjoy and look forward to the coming chapters!_

* * *

This time, Link and Navi were careful as they began their new attempt to enter the castle. The hardest guard to pass would be the first one on the bridge. Once they were down on the path on the other side, sneaking would be as easy as keeping to the shadows.

From the cliffside, Link crept forward, keeping as far back and out of sight as possible. The grass was cut short, leaving few spots to hide in, likely for the express purpose of keeping people from being able to sneak by. The guard from before was staring straight forward across the bridge, but in the distance, another one approached.

Link awaited his opportunity. As soon as the other guard arrived tapping the shoulder of the first one to catch his attention, Link made his attempt, dashing forward and jumping over the side at the edge of the bridge. Immediately, he zipped to the edge of the sheer dirt and rock wall, pressing close against the edge where the guards would find it hard to see.

He slid along that edge for some time, following the path that Navi instructed him. But soon, the wall began to shrink and shorten; he could hear a guard just above him tapping their feet. He froze. Up ahead around a slow curve, another guard stood in the middle of the path.

Navi fluttered back to hover in front of Link. "Stay still and watch for an opening," she murmured before flying back the way they had come. For several minutes, all Link heard was the sound of his own heavy breathing. Then finally, he heard the tell-tale sound of fairy flight up ahead. Carefully, he poked the top of his head around the corner to get a better look.

Navi was flying at the guard's eye level nearby, circling back every few seconds. Several tense minutes passed before the guard finally acknowledged her.

"Are you looking for the Fairy Fountain? I'm sorry to say that you won't be able to access it right now. Part of the wall collapsed over the entrance last week, and it will be some time before the guard can clear its entrance."

Navi flew closer, shaking her head. "No, I've been separated from my traveling companion. Have you seen any children around here recently?"

The guard turned his head so that he could look at her directly. Link, seeing the only opening he would likely get, zipped by to the side, hanging close to the wall. Beyond this guard, another set of guards blocked the path ahead, but they had yet to notice him. In the field, however, security seemed sparse up until the castle gates.

"No," the man finally said, turning to point back towards the gates. "This area is restricted to people on official business only, you would do better to search back towards the town."

Navi fluttered back and forth nervously. "Oh, okay… I do hope he's alright…" Leaving with those words, she flew away towards the gate until she was sure she was out of sight, before zipping back by high overhead.

While she had been busy making a distraction, Link had managed to scamper up into a nearby tree, blending in and attempting to get a better look at his surroundings. Surprisingly, he saw no guards off the path, only those blockading the path and gates.

Navi landed on his shoulder, speaking in a hushed whisper. "There's another vine wall you can climb over to the left. That will get you past the gates, at least, but the drawbridge is up. I didn't have time to search for another way in."

Link nodded in acknowledgement. It was a start, at least. Taking one last look around the field to make sure no more guards were watching, he quietly slid down from his perch, then made a made a mad dash for the far side of the field, scrambling up the vines like his life depended on it.

As soon as he reached the top, he flopped over to the side, taking a moment to catch his breath. For a moment, he listened for the sound of angry guards giving chase. But he could hea nothing but the sound of his own breathing and the rustling of foliage in the wind. Finally, after what felt like forever but was probably only a few minutes, he crawled to the far edge of the ledge he was on, checking the drop off for trouble. From what he could tell, the only guard was the one at the top of the stairwell at the entrance to the castle gates, which he had already managed to slip behind.

He began to slide down the side to the dirt and stone path beyond. As his feet skidded on the near vertical surface, a few loose rocks fell to the ground, clattering below. He landed with baited breath and turned his head to the side. The guard lifted his head, turning it to the left and right.

"Is someone there?"

Link froze, immediately pressed up against the wall, and closed his eyes, not even daring to breathe. He heard footsteps and the clanking of armor as the guard turned, moving closer and closer… the boy's hand cautiously slipped into his pocket...

"Hey!"

At the one word, Link's eyes snapped open to see the armored man charging towards him from the stairwell. With almost no time to react, he whipped his hand out of his pocket, tossing one of his purchased deku nuts to the ground. It snapped, flashing a bright burst of light. Without giving the guard a chance to recover from the flash, he sped off, shoving past the man.

By the time the guard had recovered, he had already run down half the length of the castle walls. Ignoring the shouts calling for him to stop and for help to chase him down, he ran as fast as his scrawny legs would allow. As soon as he had reached the end, he skidded, turning to the left as quickly as possible, almost falling over in his sharp turn.

He was quickly running out of space. Up in front was a dead end, a doorway at the end. In front of it, several boxes of goods and… a sleeping man?

The man sprawled out on the stone walkway reminded him much of the description Malon had given him before. But he had no time to think about that; the guard would round that corner any minute, and he'd be forced to surrender or fight.

Before he could stop and decide, however, Navi darted out from his side. "Link, Look! There's a hole in the castle wall where the water is running out! It's a bit of a gap, but if you take a running start, maybe you can make it!"

The skull kid nodded, watching as Navi darted to point the spot out. … The man was sleeping almost directly in front of it. He could hear more yelling from behind. He only had one shot at this.

Deviating from his path slightly, he made an angle towards the gate almost directly in front of where the man was sleeping. As soon as he reached it, he spun, pushing off with one hand and a foot, and made a dash directly for who he suspected was Malon's sleeping father. Gathering every bit of strength he could muster, he sprang forward, one foot landing hard on the man's side, and sprang off of it, reaching out desperately to grab hold of the wooden planks on either side of the running water.

For a moment, he hung in the air, fingers just barely gripping hold of the wooden grain. His feet skidded on the slick stone walls. Behind him, he heard the man hiss in pain and sit up. Mustering the last of his strength, he pulled as hard as he could, and scrambled up and inside.

Despite how small the hole was, he had to stop inside for a moment to catch his breath, hoping he was no longer visible from the outside. The footsteps of several guards arriving outside sounded, slowing to a stop.

"What in tarnation is going on here?" One voice asked.

"Mister Talon? Why are you still here?" Another asked.

"That's not important," a third one said. "Have you seen a monster come through here? It was an ashy grey brown and wearing dirty green clothes."

The first voice grumbled for a moment. "Can't say that I did, as far as I can remember. But I reckon something fell on me or something a minute ago, m' side's hurtin something awful all of a sudden."

"The monster must have attacked him trying to find somewhere to hide. But where?"

Link sucked in a breath and held it. Navi pushed herself back inside his hat, only just barely poking out. "Keep moving," she hissed. "Before they figure it out!

The thought of being caught by the angry guardsmen was enough for Link to get going. He heard them continue talking, but their words faded as he moved further and further inside.

It felt like he crawled through the hole forever. Once he was further in, he rested again for a moment, but not for long. The damp little tunnel was no place for a wooden child; he quickly got on the move again.

Finally, he could see light at the other end. Navi popped out and flew ahead as he crawled, coming back a moment later to give him the okay to rush on ahead. As soon as he reached the end of the tunnel, he sprang to his feel, glad to finally be out of the water.

He found himself standing in a shallow pool of water that came up just a small bit above his ankles, a small waterfall splashing down from his right. Not wanting to be in the water any longer than he had to, he splashed over to the edge and stepped out, squeezing water out of the damp front edge of his tunic.

He was in a secluded corner of the castle, it seemed. A few barrels were stacked in front of him and to the side, and some mysterious door was to his right. Part of him wanted to open it and go running through the castle halls! But… that felt like it was probably a terrible, terrible idea.

Ahead, he could see a hedge beyond the partial wall in front of him. It seemed as good of a place as any to start his search for the princess. Satisfied with how much water he'd managed to get out of his tunic, he began to creep forward.

The bush was cut in an unnatural shape, perfectly rectangular. The perfect, unnatural hedge made him feel uneasy compared to the natural wilderness of the forest; he took a moment to rub his arm. Still, at least it provided cover. Cover that he desperately needed. He could hear footsteps not far in front of him.

Carefully, he peeked around the corner. The guard was further down the path, back turned as he slowly strolled down the path along a second hedge. His pace slowed to a stop at the corner, and he looked left, right, and backwards before turning and hurrying around the corner.

With no other guards in sight, Link rushed forward, skidding to a stop right in front of a third hedge, and looked around the corner again. This time, two guards patrolled around two large stone fountains. Link darted past these, too.

Now he found himself in a predicament. Another guard ahead strode around a large, wooden structure with vines growing up and around it, leaving nowhere to take cover from the man's sight. Nowhere except up, at least. He approached one post in a side, tightly wrapped his hands around the post and began to pull himself up. This was much, much harder than scaling a tree; trees typically had a rough texture that he could use to support himself. This, on the other hand, was sanded and smooth. Once again, he found himself wishing he had been able to master the warping magic of his kind often used.

As the man turned his direction, he finally got hold of the top, scrambling up with a grunt. The man started to inch closer, swearing something under his breath. No time to lose, Link scrambled along the beam overhead, hoping he was being quiet enough and that he blended in enough with the wood and plants to slip by unnoticed.

"Is someone there?" The man asked, both hands gripping his weapon. Link didn't answer, freezing. The man began to loop around to the backside where he had climbed up. No time left, Link jumped down as soon as the man's back was turned and dashed ahead.

There was no time left to sneak; He dashed around past a large statue, past the next hedge, and pushed himself into the bushes in the middle. The man came around the same way, and Link found himself squeezing his eyes shut, holding a breath. The guard walked by once, twice, a third time, before finally giving up and returning to his post. "Dumb animals," he mumbled, shaking his head. "They got to do something about these damn squirrels."

Link finally let out his breath, sighing in relief. Slowly, he pulled himself out of the bushes, then hurried along up the path. There were no guards in this last portion, fortunately.

After a moment of walking, the path opened into a small courtyard, decorated with bushes and flowers, and with a small stream wrapping around the sides. At the far end, a regally dressed child stood, back turned.

Link began to inch his way forward, crouched slightly. Before he could reach the child, however, his eyes were caught by something glimmering in the sunlight. He turned, finding himself facing a window.

He glanced to the window in front of him, then to the handle of his slingshot sticking out of his pockets. It's times like these that Link had to stop, to dig down deep inside himself and think.

What would Skull Kid do?

Slowly, his hand reached down into his pocket, emerging with the slingshot and a single deku seed. He placed the ammo and slowly lifted the small weapon. Navi, sensing they had stopped moving, popped out from under Link's hat.

"Link what are you-" Navi started in a quiet, hissing voice. Then she realized. "Oh no, Link no, no, no, you're going to get yourself caught!"

But Link wasn't listening, he pulled the slingshot back and released. There was a crash, the shattering of glass, and Link let out a mischievous little cackle.

Navi sighed in defeat. Skull kids. Always getting into trouble.

The boy's mischievous laugh cut off when he heard a startled cry. Slowly, Link raised his head and jumped back in surprise when he saw the girl from before staring at him. His eyes darted to the slingshot in his hands, and he quickly attempted to hide the incriminating evidence behind his back.

For several minutes, the two stared at each other in a tense silence. But finally, the girl broke the silence, bringing her hand up towards her chest, taking a step back.

"Who Are you?" The girl demanded. "How did you get past the guards?"

The girl's dress was a combination of pure white and royal purple. Her hair was covered by a hat of the same colors, adorned with a golden emblem.

Navi zipped out in front of Link, a nervous jingle following behind. "No, please wait before you call anyone, we can explain!"

Suddenly, it was like something clicked with the girl, her eyes lighting up in recognition. "Wait, is that… are you a fairy? I mean… of course you are, so that must mean… are you two from the forest?"

Navi was quiet for a moment, processing the sudden change. But finally, she bobbed up and down in the air in confirmation.

The girls mouth twisted into a smile, eyes lighting up as her stance relaxed. "Then… You wouldn't happen to have the Spiritual Stone of the forest, would you?"

Link hesitated for a moment, looking to Navi for guidance. The fairy looked to him and gave him a small nod. With her go ahead, he eagerly reached his hands into a pouch around his belt, fingers wrapping around the beautiful emerald the Deku Tree had entrusted him with, and carefully pulled it out to present to the girl.

Her smile broadened. Clasping her hands together in front of her face, her eyes squinted. "Just as I thought!" But then then her smile faltered, her hands falling to her side. Link tilted his head. Did all humans change demeanor this quickly?

"I had a dream…" she started. "In the dream, dark storm clouds were billowing over the land of Hyrule… But then, suddenly a ray of light shot out of the forest, parted the clouds, and lit up the ground… And then, the light turns into a figure holding a green shining stone – just like this one." She paused to gesture to the emerald in Link's hands. "And they're followed by a fairy."

She raised a hand up to her face, tilting it upwards slightly, eyes raising up to the sky in thought. "I knew this had to be a prophecy that someone would come from the forest… So… when I saw your fairy, I thought you might be the one."

Link blinked, not quite following. He returned the Kokiri Emerald back to its place in his bag.

Suddenly, the girl's face lit up in surprise. "Oh! I got so carried away with my story, I didn't even properly introduce myself! I am Zelda, Princess of Hyrule. What is your name?"

Finally, Link perked, recognizing the title. "Link," he answered quietly.

"And I'm Navi," the fairy cut in. "We were sent by the Deku Tree to find you. There are… an evil man cursed the Deku Tree, the spirit of the forest, all for the stone. He… the Great Deku Tree, he passed on."

The princess's smile faltered. "I'm… I'm sorry to hear that." Her gaze shifted to the side, before she quickly jumped subjects. "Can… can I tell you a secret? It's a secret of the royal family. So if I tell you, you can't tell anyone!" Zelda scrunched her face up and held up a fist in a very 'unprincess-like' manner, leaving Link with nothing to do but quickly nod in agreement.

The girl smiled, and took a seat on the stone path, legs to the side, then patted the ground beside her, an invitation that Link gratefully accepted.

"They say the three goddesses hid the Triforce containing the power of the gods somewhere in Hyrule," Zelda began with a deep breath. "The power to grant the wish of the one who holds the Triforce in his hands. If someone with a righteous heart makes a wish, it will lead Hyrule to a golden age of prosperity..."

The girl's gaze shifted to the side, looking back at something unseen through the window behind her. "However, if someone with an evil mind has his wish granted, the world will be consumed by evil... So, the ancient Sages built the Temple of Time to protect the Triforce from evil ones. Does that all make sense?"

Link stared blankly for a moment, before finally shrugging. "I don't know anything about any temples or sages, or much about this Triforce thing. I don't really know anything outside of what I've seen in the forest. Until just a couple days ago, the only things I was worried about was food and having fun with my best friend."

Zelda sighed, shaking her head. "Sorry, I don't really know much about the culture of the forest, so perhaps I am the one assuming too much." A pause, while she tilted her head. "Maybe I can at least explain why that stone you have is important.

"The Temple of Time is the entrance through which you can enter the Sacred Realm from

our world. But the entrance is sealed with a stone wall called the Door of Time. It makes it sound pretty safe, but obviously there has to be some way to open the door, right? And the way to do so, to open the door, it is said that you need to collect three Spiritual Stones. Like that one you brought, that's one of them." She turned her gaze to the bag holding the beautiful emerald.

"There is one other thing that you would need... A treasure that the Royal Family keeps along with this legend. Does that make a little more sense?"

Link nodded slowly with a blank expression. He still did not completely understand. But he understood the important parts. There was something very powerful out there, something that someone evil was trying to get their hands on. And in his satchel was one of the things that evil needed.

The princess seemed to perk up at his affirmation. "That's Great! Now, about what you were saying earlier. Let me explain what I was doing before your… um… interruption. I was spying through this window, you see. Do you remember the dream I was telling you about? The other element in my dreams, the dark clouds, I believe they symbolize that man in there."

Zelda gestured to the window, and Link took the invitation to stand up and step forward, standing on his tip toes to get a good look. Several guards lined the far wall of the room through the glass, and he had a feeling that they were on his side too, out of sight. But the guards were not the point of interest. Another man came into view, a man that was a stark contrast in appearance. His skin was a dark brown, and his armor an even darker shade. His hair was a brilliant, flaming orange, contrasting the blacks and browns and dark golds of the rest of him. A single, vibrant gemstone adorned his forehead, although other smaller gems also were placed at certain parts of his armor.

"That is Ganondorf," Zelda whispered to his side. "He is the leader of the Gerudo. They hail from a desert far to the west of Hyrule. He says he swears allegiance to my father, but I do not think he is sincere."

"What makes you so certain?" Link retorted quietly.

"… I don't know," Zelda admitted. "I really am sure that he represents the dark clouds in my dream, and the way he speaks, the way he is always prying for information, it makes me suspicious. But I cannot prove it."

Link gave a small nod, keeping a careful eye on the way the man walked and moved. Suddenly, the man's head turned, and Link found himself frozen in place, eyes locked with the mysterious man. It took him several seconds to rip his gaze away, but for some reason, he felt more vulnerable than he ever had before.

He took several steps back, out of sight of the window. He had been seen by that man. He had to leave he needed to get out before –

"What's wrong?" Zelda's words cut through his stream of thought. "Did he see you?" It took Link everything he had at the moment to calm down and nod his head. Fortunately, Zelda had an answer. "Don't worry, he doesn't have any idea what we're planning… yet."

Link nodded at first, but when he stopped to consider Zelda's words, he startled, taking a step back and tilting his head. They are…planning something?

Zelda sensed his confusion and hesitance. "You will help me, right?" When Link did not quickly respond, she clasped her hands together, desperation in her voice. "When I told my dad about my dream, he didn't believe it was a prophecy. But… but I can sense that man's evil intentions!" She lowered her gaze, voice softening. "What Ganondorf is after must be nothing less than the Triforce of the Sacred Realm... He must have come to Hyrule to obtain it, to conquer Hyrule… No, to conquer the whole world!"

She turned her gaze back to Link. "That's why I need your help. I cannot leave to gather the Sacred Stones. But you could! And I can protect the royal treasure at the same time. Once you have all three, we could get the Triforce for ourselves and defeat Ganondorf! You will help me, won't you?".

Link hesitated. When the Deku Tree had sent him on this journey, he had expected to deliver the stone and be done with it, returning home to go back to playing with Skull Kid and Saria like nothing happened. But now, he was finding himself thrust into a new, difficult choice. A choice that would send him who knows where on his journey.

"I will follow whatever choice you make, Link," Navi mumbled to the child, fluttering close before speaking louder towards Zelda. "Please, consider what you are asking of Link, though. Link is a skull kid, a type of forest spirit. His body is specialized for forest life. You're asking him to venture into a world unknown to him, around people and places hostile to forest spirits."

"I understand your hesitance," Zelda admitted, head low and hands to her side. "But… I have no one else to turn to. My own father does not believe me, and the guard will follow his order. I know that it's scary, but please consider. If that evil man is not stopped, then the whole world will be in peril. You even said before that he is responsible for the great forest spirit's death. If he isn't stopped, your home will be in danger!"

Link let out a quiet sigh, lowering his head. She had a point… what choice did he have, really? He thought to Saria and Skull Kid, and the danger they would be in if the forest was invaded. Skull Kid could hold his own in a fight; he'd seen that first hand. But the other skull kids, the kokiri… If this was something that could happen, that could be prevented or at least stopped, and he did nothing to stop it… He'd never be able to forgive himself.

Link finally nodded. "I'm In."

Zelda smiled, and clapped her hands together. "Excellent! We can get started right away. My attendant knows where the first stone is, I'll have her give you directions."

"Attendant? Where…" Link looked up and let out a gasp when he noticed the woman standing nearby. She had not been there before, had she? He quickly stood up, feeling far too vulnerable sitting on the ground near the strange adult.

The woman stood proud with arms crossed. Her clothing was black and dark blue, with bits of grey and silver. Her hair was a similar silver color. Her eyes glanced towards the window Link had broken, one brow raised, then back to Link. Link gave a toothy, sheepish grin.

"I, uh…"

The woman held up a hand to silence Link. "Do not worry about it for now, child. There are more important matters to discuss."

Link started to open his mouth again, but thought better of it, nodding and putting on the most serious look he could muster.

The woman's lips curled back into the beginning of a smile. "I am Impa of the Sheikahs," she began with a small bow. "I am responsible for protecting Princess Zelda. Everything is exactly as the Princess foretold. You are a courageous young skull kid - venturing out of the forest only to head out on another big adventure."

"What is a skull kid anyways, Impa?"

Link glanced back towards Zelda, who had stood now, and was holding a paper in her hands. Impa closed her eyes.

"That is a discussion for another time. You will learn more about them someday, Zelda; You will have to, if you wish to keep Hyrule whole and unified. But for now, do not worry about it." She nodded to the paper. "I believe you have something you needed to finish for your friend, anyways.

Zelda nodded, then went back to the paper in her hands, finishing writing something with a quill. She then folded it and held it out for Link. "This is a letter from me, I'm sure it will be helpful to you - there are some areas that guards would not let you pass otherwise."

Link looked over the fancy paper and elegant handwriting. It was far better than anything he could do… In fact, he did not understand a word of it. The temptation to eat the nice-looking paper was very, _very_ strong. But Navi clearing her throat snapped him back to reality. He quickly stuffed the letter away.

Satisfied, Impa gave the children a nod, then continued her speech to Link. "I, too, had a role in the Princess's dream: to teach a melody to the one who came from the forest." Link held a finger up to point at his chest. The woman nodded again. "Listen carefully, the song I am about to teach you is an ancient melody passed down by the Royal Family." She held a hand up to her chest. "I have played this song for Princess Zelda as a lullaby ever since she was a baby… There is mysterious power in these notes."

The woman held fingers up to her mouth and began to whistle a simple, three note melody. Link considered reaching for his flute, but instead went for the fairy ocarina instead. He gave it a couple experimental blows, picking out notes, then slowly repeated the three notes Impa had sang, repeating it a few times until he had it down.

As soon as he appeared to have the three down, the woman continued with a few more notes, completing the melody. For good measure, she repeated the entire song. Link fumbled with the holes, placing slender wooden fingers over them as he carefully picked out the remaining notes and played them over, until satisfied.

When he finished, he found both Zelda and Impa clapping for him.

"Wow, you learned that so fast!" Zelda exclaimed, laughing. "You must be a natural musician."

Link sheepishly rubbed the back of his head. "One of my friends taught me the flute. We play together a lot. Another recently gave me this ocarina. They play different, but the concepts are the same."

Zelda looked ready to say more, but a commotion in the castle distracted her.

"You're sure you saw something in the courtyard?" One voice said

"Not completely… but there's a chance that I did." Another responded.

"With that thing Charles saw outside, it's worth investigating. What if it got into the castle? The royal family could be in danger!"

"Hey, look over here, this window has been busted!"

Impa turned her attention to Link and offered out a hand. "If the castle soldiers find you, there will be trouble. Let me lead you out of the castle."

Link looked to the woman's hand skeptically. But he took a deep breath and accepted it. As untrustworthy as adults were in his eyes, he was quickly realizing that he would have to make compromises on his journey.

The woman gave him a warm smile; Link blinked once, and gave a wide, nervous, toothy grin in response. But before he could say anything, Impa's face once again became cold and stony, and he found himself being almost dragged as she took off and a brisk pace.

They were somewhere beneath the castle.

Impa had led him at first back the way they had come but had pulled him into an inconspicuous door along the way, into an old, dank room with a trap door that led down. She'd struck a match and lit a torch and, taking great care to keep it away from the skull kid, had led him to a second door, hidden in the walls of the cellar they'd found themselves in.

For some time, he'd been led along in silence, taking so many twists and turns that he was quite certain that he would never be able to find his way back through if he wanted. He had no clue how Impa could even make sense of where they were going. More than once, they had stopped at a branching path briefly, only for her to take a route with certainty.

Navi flew along behind, offering little more in the way of light alongside the torch. Still, to her, the silence was like agony. She was the first to break it. She flew forward to fly beside Impa's head.

"So," She started. "You are Zelda's guardian, or caretaker of sorts?"

"You could call me a nanny," Impa responded simply. "But guardian or attendant would be more proper terms. It's my job to keep her safe and give her guidance. I suppose I could say the same of you?"

Navi jingled in the darkness. "I suppose. My duty is to help Link and see him through his journey safe."

The corner of the woman's mouth twitched. "I find it strange though. Everything I have read and experienced suggest that only Kokiri receive a guardian fairy. Yet here you are, guiding a skull kid."

"He's adopted," Navi joked.

Apparently, there was something funny about the response that Link did not understand, because he could only tilt his head when Impa leaned her head back and let out a hearty laugh.

"Fairy, I do not know your name, but it is good to see you can have a sense of humor in these trying times."

"It's Navi. And thank you. Though to be honest, it is not entirely a joke. The Great Deku Tree's final request to me was to help Link."

The woman chuckled one more time, but when she spoke again, her voice had become sober. "And what of when the journey is finished? What will you do then?"

Navi was silent for a moment. "Well, I suppose we will return to the forest. No, I know we will. Link has friends to return to. Right Link?

The two turned back, and Link, tuning back in once he heard his name, nodded enthusiastically.

The group was quiet again for a while, until the path they were following came to an end. Impa paused at the edge, feeling her hand around for something. Her hand gripped hold of a handle before she pushed with a shoulder.

Slowly, the wall seemed to give way, sunlight seeping through. Link pushed ahead, excited to be out of the cramped stone tunnels, and found himself back outside in the field outside the castle. Impa put out the torch and followed behind. Navi came out last, fluttering over to Link and nestling in his cap.

Impa took hold of his hand once more, leading him back towards the town and back through back alleys, keeping a tight grip to make sure he did not cause any more mischief than he already had.

The sun was starting to set by the time they reached Castle Town's outer gates. Only once they were across the bridge did Impa let the boy's hand go.

Link could not say why exactly, but he had never felt so relieved to be on grass again. Almost a whole day, gone already. And yet it sounded like it would be the first of many exhausting days on the road now.

"You are a brave lad," Impa spoke up, turning Link's attention away from the ground below. "We must protect this land. You, Navi, myself and Zelda."

She raised a hand and pointed it to her left. Link followed it, finding a huge mountain in that direction, the top stretching up into the clouds.

"Take a good look at that mountain. That is Death Mountain, home of the Gorons. They hold the Spiritual Stone of Fire."

Link couldn't help but gulp at the thought of a fiery spiritual stone. Suddenly, this quest was sounding just a bit more daunting. Just a bit.

Link's finger lowered pointing towards a path ahead of them. "At the foot of Death Mountain, you will find my village, Kakariko. That is where I was born and raised." A thin smile set into her lips. "You should talk to some of the villagers there before you go up Death Mountain. Although you are not human like them, Kakariko is known to be far more accepting than their Castle Town counterparts. You should have no trouble, so long as you behave."

Link nodded slowly, though, if he was honest, he doubted it would be as easy as she made it seem.

"Remember the song I taught you. It is a special song that only those with close ties to the royal family are allowed to learn. It will prove your connection to them."

She took a single step back. "You should be able to reach Kakariko Villiage by not long after nightfall. Remember, we are all counting on you."

There was a snap, and a flash. Link yelped and tried to shield his eyes from the bright light. By the time he was able to see again, the shekiah was gone.

Link stood silently for a moment, processing the new information. After what felt like some time, though, he finally adjusted his belt, and began the walk down the path. His first journey may have ended, but now, a new, even more daunting task had begun.


	8. Heart Pounding Grave Tour

The walk across Hyrule Field towards Kakariko Village was not nearly as long as one would think; the sky had only begun to tinge orange by the time that Link reached the path up. The narrow path upwards, however slowed his progress, walking along winding dirt paths and climbing up stone ramps and stairways.

Despite Navi's suggestions to keep their sound low, lest they attract the attention of unwelcome company or some dangerous beast, Link had taken to playing music along the way, cheerful little tunes on his flute that attempted to his spirits in spite of the task ahead of him. But as the path seemed to continue for far too long, his mind wandered back to his conversation with the princess as one of his songs drew to a close. His fingers faltered, and his stride slowed to a stop.

Navi, who had been following a short distance behind, fluttered in front of Link and hovered in place.

"Is everything okay?" The fairy asked. "Do you need sleep? We can find some place quiet to rest once we get to the village."

Link shook his head. "No, I'm fine. It's just…" He turned his head away.

"You're worried about what you've agreed to, aren't you?"

A moment of hesitation, then he nodded. "I don't know anything about what might be ahead! Death Mountan sounds… deadly. I don't know what a goron is. What if they're not friendly? What if I get hurt? What if… What if I can't keep my promise to Skully? What did I get myself into?"

Navi paused for a moment. "You're right," she responded curtly. "It's not fair. Neither you nor Zelda should be having to do something like this; it's an adult's responsibility. But… What do you do when adults are refusing to do anything?"

The boy sighed and nodded again. "But I made a promise to Zelda too, I can't just quit and go home… I don't know what to do!" He threw his hands up in the air, letting out a cry of frustration before plopping down on the side of the road, arms crossed, and shoulders hunched.

Navi was quiet for a moment, turning to look back towards the way they had come for just a moment. Slowly, she fluttered down to land on one of Link's hands. He looked up.

"Hey," she suggested quietly. "What if… Why don't we contact Saria and talk to her? Maybe she could have some advice for you. Even if she doesn't, maybe it will make you feel better at least?"

Link considered the suggestion. On one hand, Saria always seemed to have good advice. On the other… talking to her might just make him feel more homesick than he already was. He reached into his pocket to swap his flute for the Fairy Ocarina. Wooden fingers rubbed over the surface, admiring the smooth handiwork.

Slowly, curiosity and worry for his friends got the better of him. Link brought the ocarina up to his mouth, began to blow the notes to Saria's song, getting the notes right after a couple attempts. He closed his eyes, and let his mind focus on the Kokiri girl, imagining that he was sitting beside her back in the Sacred Grove. He played the song once, twice, three times for good measure. Then he finally brought the instrument down from his mouth, and without opening his mouth, let out one hesitant word.

"Hello?"

For a moment, there was nothing. Then suddenly, a voice echoed in the back of his head loud and clear.

"Link?"

"Saria?" He asked out loud. "Can you hear me?"

"Loud and clear," the familiar voice responded. There was a pause. "Yes, I'm talking to Link." Another pause. "Here, put your hand on the ocarina and keep it there, that's how we can communicate."

Link opened his mouth to say something, but was interrupted when a third voice cut in.

"Like this?" Skull Kid's voice rang in his head. "I don't hear nothin. Are you sure this works?"

"Skull Kid!"

Link heard a yelp that was cut short, followed shortly by Saria's laughter. "It's okay Skull Kid, the magic works by speaking directly into your head."

More silence. Navi fluttered down curiously to rest on the ocarina too. Skull Kid was the next to speak. "It's about time you checked in. How's it going. Did you find the princess yet?"

"Well, yeah-"

"Awesome! How did it go? Will you be back soon?"

"About that…"

"Is everything okay? Did something go wrong?" Saria cut in.

"It's kind of a long story," Navi responded. "But the long story short is that the princess asked Link to go get the other spiritual stones. So… it might be awhile before we can come back."

"...I see…" Skull Kid's voice came out in monotone.

"I had to agree. Someone has to do it. I mean, yeah it shouldn't really be my job-"

"That's right, so you should just come home so we can hang out again," Skull Kid cut in again. "You shouldn't be held responsible for something that adults won't take care of!"

Link was silent for several minutes, only finally responding when Saria gave a worried "...Link? Are you still there?"

"I want to come back…" He started in an almost silent whisper. "But… I don't think I can. Not until I'm done. Because if I don't do this, we'll all be in danger, won't we?"

"I wish I had a better Answer for you…" Saria responded. "But I don't really know much outside of the forest, other than things that I've been told by others. But… I think you need to follow your heart. If you think it is something you need to do, _do it._ What do you think, Skull Kid?"

Skull Kid was silent for a long time, long enough that Link was worried he might have stormed off again like before. But finally, he heard the boy sigh. "I guess you're right. Just… hurry back okay? You have no idea how boring it is hanging out with Saria all day waiting to hear from you. She wouldn't let me put spiders in Mido's soup, even though they are absolutely delicious!"

"Not everyone enjoys a spider sandwich, Skull Kid," Saria's voice responded. Link laughed in response.

"So where are you right now?" Skull Kid asked.

"We're on our way to this place Death Mountain to meet with the gorons," Navi responded.

"Oh, they're very friendly most of the time," Skull Kid interjected before mumbling afterwards, "Maybe a little too friendly…"

"Skully, you know something about gorons?" Link asked.

"Oh!" Skull Kid responded a little too quickly. "Oh, you know. More people then Hylians pass through the woods. I've seen a goron or two before."

Link nodded, accepting the explanation. "Okay."

"Link, it's getting late. We should keep walking, even if you talk while we go. We don't want to get locked outside again."

"Oh, that wasn't so bad," Link responded, though he still nodded and pushed himself back to his feet, keeping one hand on the ocarina. He began to walk once again.

"So, what was the castle like? And the town. You gotta tell us everything!"

Link laughed, surprised by his friend's interest. "Well, where do I begin…"

* * *

The sun had only just dipped below the horizon by the time Link reached the quaint little town. A bright, nearly full moon filtered behind storm clouds beginning to roll in, illuminating the rooftops of several houses of varying sizes. Light from inside the buildings poured out onto the grassy common areas. The village seemed mostly devoid of life outside, save for one emaciated man resting under a tree past the village gates

Link had ended his conversation with Saria and Skull Kid some time ago, choosing to make the last of his trip in silence, only the sound of wildlife, his footsteps, and the jingling of Navi following behind.

The skull kid carefully approached the gates, taking refuge in their shadows as he cautiously eyed the villager. Navi fluttered to a rest on his shoulder.

"Hey," she urged quietly. "We should ask for directions, don't you think?"

Link's gaze shifted to the fairy for a moment, then returned to the man. He shook his head.

"Let's just… sneak by and find it ourselves. What if he doesn't like-" He cut himself off uncertain about the using the word that popped up in his head. "…me."

"Nonsense!" The fairy replied with a jingle, lifting up from his shoulder. "It will be fine. Here, come on, I'll even ask for you!"

Without a second thought, the fairy took off, making a beeline for the man. Link shot a hand out to try and stop her, but it stretched into empty air. As he heard her begin to speak though, he finally slowly, ever so hesitantly, began to creep out of the shadows, his eyes trained on the stranger.

"Hey, excuse me?"

The man was slow to look up, not acknowledging Navi at first. When the man made little motion, crept even closer, standing hunched and tense behind Navi

"Excuse me," she tried again. "We were hoping maybe you could give us directions?"

The man mumbled something.

"I'm sorry, I couldn't hear you, could you please speak louder?" Navi asked.

"I said to get out of my face. People are disgusting. Licking the boots of people in power, caring about no one but themselves. Even my own father and mother are disgusting."

"I'm…. sorry?"

He tilted his head up to stare at Link through baggy, narrowed eyes.

"I bet you're disgusting too!"

Link stiffened, wide eyes locking with the man's. For a moment, he was frozen in place.

"Didn't anyone ever tell you it's rude to stare?" The man growled. "Go ahead. Laugh if you want. Laugh at the village freak."

Whether through anxiety or through courage, Link finally found the courage to dart away, taking off at a dash past the man.

"What's wrong with you?!" Navi quipped at the man. When he did not respond, she huffed before fluttering past to catch up with Link.

The boy did not stop until he reached a well near the center of the village. Besides the creepy guy at the entrance, the town appeared deserted; everyone seemed to have taken shelter at dusk. He took a seat along the side and took a moment to calm himself.

Navi fluttered to a rest on Link's shoulder. "Are you okay?" She asked quietly.

Link gave the fairy a tiny nod. "I'll be fine."

Navi seemed unconvinced but chose not to press the matter. Instead she gave him a reassuring pat. "Hey, we should find someplace to sleep, don't you think?"

Link turned his head. "I'm not really tired."

A drop of water splattered onto the boy's forehead, then another onto his ear. Navi fluttered down to gently tap against his forehead where the water had splattered. "Nonsense," She chided. "You may not be tired now, but you will be when you have to climb a mountain tomorrow. Come on, let's look around a little. Even if you don't want to try asking anyone for help, I'm sure there's someplace safe you can shelter around here."

The skull kid lowered his head, then finally gave in, giving Navi a "mmhm," of consent, and then stood, taking another look around the village. Most of the houses were well lit. Normally, he did not feel all that bad about sneaking into places. But adults were a much bigger wild card than kokiri, who at worst might chase him around with a stick. Lifting his head back up, he spotted a dark path out of the corner of his eye, leading away from the village under a stone wall. There, that seemed like the perfect place to go for some peace and quiet. Quietly, he rose to his feet and patterned towards the archway.

The area beyond the arch was elevated in levels, odd wedge-shaped stones lining the cobblestone path. A stone gateway and tall wooden fence heralded the entrance to the enclosed area, a small little shack to the right just inside. A smaller, rickety wooden fence separated the shack and entrance from the stones.

Link carefully crept further into the area, uncertain of what to expect. A few more drops of water splattered on his face. Never that he could remember had he seen anything like this. He'd seen circles of stone made by the kokiri in their games. But each stone was irregular and messy. These were all uniform, with a set design and set a specific distance away from each other.

The boy approached the nearest stone, running a hand on the engravings. Some of it was a design; three triangles together making a bigger triangle, a bird, and other markings adorned the stone. But there was also text that Link could not decipher the meaning of.

"What does it mean?" Link asked.

"These are gravestones," Navi explained. "They mark where people are buried after they die."

He stared at the fairy for a moment as his hand brushed over the stone again, then lifted it as something else caught his eye.

"Hey look, over there!" He dashed off up the hill to the far end of the graveyard, coming to a stop in front of what had grabbed his attention. Although he could not see all of it well in the dark, he had made out a larger stone at the very end.

"This one seems special, what does it say?"

The fairy was silent for a moment, flying closer to illuminate the words. "... It says it is the tomb of the royal family."

"So dead royal people are buried here?"

"It seems like it. We probably should not be snooping around here, Link, let's try to find someplace else to sleep."

Link started to agree, but a glimmer below his feet caught his eye in the moonlight. He took a step back, revealing a golden triangle mark at his feet, the same design as on the other gravestones. The more he thought about it, the more it reminded him of the stories that Zelda and the Deku Tree had told him.

"Hey," he started, an idea coming to his mind. "Do you think anything would happen if I were to play that song Impa taught me here?"

Navi turned back to Link, watching him fiddle around in the darkness for the ocarina. "I don't think it's a good idea Link…" But before the words were out of her mouth, the boy had already started to play the little song.

At first nothing seemed to happen. Disappointed, Link began to turn away. But a distant rumbling, like thunder, stopped him in his tracks. Suddenly, the earth beneath his feet seemed to tremble. Another roll of thunder. And then it all seemed to stop. Link slowly crept back towards the gravestone, curious.

A flash of light. Before Link could react, there was an ear-splitting crack and explosion. The boy went flying into the air, dust and rock raining around him. He hit the ground with a hard thud, the breath knocked out of him. He tried to get up, but his entire body felt dull and distant. His head swam.

The last thing he heard before slipping away to unconsciousness was Navi calling out his name.

* * *

 _He felt tired, and weak. His legs seemed to just barely function, only allowing him forward with stumbling and staggering steps. He felt a pang in his stomach but did his best to ignore it. The forest around him was dim, only the sound of the wildlife and his own footsteps accompanied him. Everything was filtered through weary eyes. He had to find… something. His brain was so fuzzy, he could not remember what._

 _He stumbled. He tried to push himself to his feet, arms shaking, but he couldn't find the strength. Maybe a rest was in order._

…

 _He had never felt so exhausted. He had never felt so alive._

 _He was cold and frightened. He felt brave and rejuvenated._

 _He was… Link? Yes. His name was Link. He was… He did not remember what he was doing. But he was Link! That much, he could be certain of._

 _He looked down to his hands. They were small, so small, made of shrunken, skeletal wood and bark with little whisps of darkness peeking out around his joints. His arms too, were of the same ashy wood. He brought a hand up to his face. It too seemed to have the same texture, and he had a feeling that, if he were to look in a mirror, it too would have the same wooden look._

 _He pushed - no, he sprang to his feet with an excited hop._

 _He did not know what he was, or where he was, but he knew that he was Link, and he knew that he did not have to be scared of the forest. The forest would keep him safe._

 _He ran._

* * *

Link startled awake with a gasp, sitting up suddenly. Immediately his head swam and his vision blurred. Nothing was very painful, per say, but everything ached.

At first, his mind tried to grasp out and hold onto the dream, but the mundane memory quickly slipped away as he finally focused well enough to check his surroundings.

He was in a small wooden shack, resting under old, tattered, ratty looking blankets on an equally old-looking bed. Sunlight filtered through a small, slatted window onto his face. He blinked once, squinting in the light, and then turned his head, letting out a surprised cry when he realized that he was not alone.

To his side was a small wooden desk, Navi sitting on top and staring at him with worry etched into her features. But it was not Navi that caught him off guard.

To the side of the desk sat a man, staring at him intently. The human appeared old and lumpy, the beginnings of wrinkles clinging to his skin. His chin jutted out into an oversized underbite. The man's beady eyes peered out under a balding head. His clothes were an old, muddy, sleeveless shirt, and and equally dirty trousers and boots. His skin was a clammy white.

Despite his off putting appearance, the man seemed non-threatening, a goofy smile on his face.

Navi was the first to break the silence. "Link?" She asked. "Are you okay? You've been asleep for a long time. I was worried maybe some of the debris hit your head…"

Link blinked a couple more times, trying to grasp at what had happened. That was right, he had played the royal song. And then lightning had struck nearby and…

"I'm fine," he finally responded, shaking his head. "Just… sore."

Navi broke out into a smile.

"Oh thank the goddesses. When you didn't get up - even as it started pouring rain - I worried you were in worse shape. You're fortunate Dampe, the gravekeeper here, happened to help you out."

Link turned his attention to the bald man beside Navi. The man laughed.

"It's-all good," he slurred in a friendly voice. "It's not often I get a visitor as unusual as yourself! Yer little friend here happened to see me leave my shack and came to me in a tizzy beggin for help. 'Course I was happy to."

"Link," Navi led on when he said nothing and instead stared, "what do you say when people help you?"

"Oh, um, thank you," The boy responded quickly with a bow of his head.

Dampe let out a hearty laugh. "Ha ha! No need to thank me little fella! Just think of it as a favor."

Link gave the man a nod and opened his mouth to say something else but was interrupted by the sound of his growling stomach. The last time he had eaten had been his snack before sneaking into the castle the day before - if it was actually only yesterday.

He reached his hand down for his bag, and found it gone.

"Your bag is over there by the door." The man gestured a meaty finger towards the exit. "I don't have any food ready for you, sorry. I wouldn't know what a, uh… a skull… kid…?" He shot an aside glance to Navi, and when she nodded, he continued. "I wouldn't know what you would'a ate."

"It's okay," Link responded quietly before kicking the covers off and pushing himself to the side of the bed. "I have plenty in my bag."

For a moment, as he climbed to his feet, he was unsteady, body still aching. But he quickly spread his arms out and caught his balance. He shuffled over to where his bags - and boots apparently - were stored. First, he slipped the boots back onto his feet. Then he pulled the drawstring bag open, opting for one of the sweet pastries he had bought in Castle Town, and took a bite before reattaching the bag to his belt.

"Leaving so soon?" Dampe asked.

Link nodded. Navi stretched before lifting into the air, coming to a rest on Link's shoulder. "We have a long journey ahead of us," she responded for Link. "We have to head up the mountain at Princess Zelda's request to meet with the gorons."

The man chuckled. "Oh ho now, well, if you go back into the village main, there's a path across the way with a guard stationed outside. That's your path up the mountain, can't miss it."

Link gave Dampe a nod before taking hold of the handle of the door.

Dampe waved. "Come back and visit sometime! If yeh come at night, I might even give yeh a discounted rate to my grave tour service!"

The boy paused, halfway out the door? "Grave… tour?"

The man laughed, giving his knee a light slap. "Ol' Dampe's heart pounding gravedigging tour! Come back some evening and I'll tell ya all about it."

Link nodded slowly, still not really understanding what the man was talking about. "O...kay. Maybe I'll see you again sometime. Thank you, Dampe."

"Anytime kiddo, don't be a stranger!"

Link closed the door behind him. The graveyard was much less gloomy in the daylight. The sun shone hight overhead; it must have been close to noon now. Link fidgeted with his belt nervously. The sooner he got up the mountain, the sooner he could get the stones to Zelda and go home.

He began to walk back towards the path leading towards the village, but a thought caught in his mind, and he instead found himself making his way towards the place he had been knocked unconscious the night before.

Navi continued a bit of a ways down the path, but as soon as she realized link had turned the other way, dashed after him to catch back up with the boy.

"Hey," she called out. "We need to go this way!"

"I know, I know," Link responded, holding a hand up. "But I want to check something first." He followed the cobblestone path back up and around the side of the graveyard until he came to a stop at the marker he had stood in front of the night before.

Or at least, where it had been. Now, however, the stone was scattered in chunks around the area, leaving a gaping hole where the entrance once was. Link inched forward to peer into the hole. With the sun directly overhead, he could just barely see the bottom. A ladder allowed access below. He could only assume that several people were buried in the hole, and that the ladder would allow access to bring more into the grave when they were ready to join the bodies below.

He turned and began to scale down the ladder.

"Link, what do you think you're doing?" Navi hissed, keeping her voice low as she zipped around his head.

"I'm going to check it out. I want to know what's down here."

"No you don't, there are dead bodies down here, and that's it! It's impolite to go messing with people's graves!"

But Link did not listen to the fairy, instead continuing his decent until he felt comfortable enough to hop down the rest of the fall. Navi let out a frustrated sigh and followed behind, not daring to leave the mischievous little child alone.

As Link's eyes adjusted in the darkness, he could make out a pathway ahead of him. Slowly, he inched his way forward in the darkness, keeping one hand to the wall as guidance. Before long, the path opened to a small, stone room.

He let his hand fall to his side, then carefully crept forward further into the room. The light from the hole had left him behind, leaving only the dim glow from his eyes and the brighter glow from Navi to guide him.

His leg kicked something, sending it clattering across the room. He paused, waiting to see if something would happen, and when nothing did, he crouched to feel for whatever he had hit. His hands clasped around something, and he picked it up to get a better look.

Bone.

He tossed the bone away quickly, taking a better look around. As Navi flew forward in front of him to see what he had dropped, he could now see several bones scattered around the room, skeletons that had fallen to pieces and been scattered over time.

"Probably the remains of grave robbers," Navi reported, flying closer to Link. "Are you satisfied? Can we go now?"

Link shook his head, edging further into the room until he found himself at the far side of it. In front of him was some sort of ledge that reached just over his head. He reached up and pulled himself to the top. A second ledge followed this one, and a third one after that. He scaled each of these too. When he reached the top, he found himself face to face with a door.

Slowly, he reached a hand forward and pushed. The door swung open with ease. He scurried on past it to see what might be ahead.

A small hall led to the next room. An unnatural glow illuminated the walls. From where he was, Link could see that the glow came to a pool of odd liquid just inside the room.

Feeling brave after the previous room, Link rushed forward. But as he reached the pools edge a high pitched shriek filled the air. For one long, horrifying moment, Link found himself frozen in place, unable to move anything but his eyes. They darted to the side. A horrible, rotting, shrunken creature had begun to shamble towards him. Navi zipped under his hood and spoke in a harsh, hushed whisper.

"That's a redead, Link. As soon as you can move, walk back towards the exit. Slowly. It will lose interest if you don't run."

Link's eyes instead darted to the pathway at the other end of the room. Several other redeads blocked the way. But none of them had begun to move.

He felt power return to his muscles. But instead of beginning to inch back towards the exit, he began to creep the other way. His eyes darted back to the side. Sure enough, as Navi had said, the redead had slowed to a stop, only staring.

"Link, what are you doing?" Navi hissed.

Link didn't answer, instead continuing his painstakingly slow journey across the room, keeping an eye on the nearest redead. But finally, after what felt like forever, he reached the hall at the other end, leaving the creatures behind him.

Still, he had not a clue what lay on the other side, so he continued to move slowly. The same unnatural glow as before came from the next room. As he entered it though, he found it only had the water, and not the redeads as before.

The boy let out a sigh of relief and dashed on into the final room.

The walls of this room were covered in writing, ending with a wall adorned with the triforce symbol he had seen outside. Two unlit torches stood at either side.

The boy came to a stop in front of the shrine of sorts, looking over the odd etching he could not understand.

"Navi," he asked quietly. "What does it say?"

"If I tell you, will you go back afterwards?"

He considered it for a moment. This was the end of the path. There was nowhere else to go but back. He nodded.

The fairy let out a small, relieved sigh. "Okay."

She flew up to illuminate the words in front of her and spoke the words in a soft voice. "This poem is dedicated to the memory of the dearly departed members of the Royal Family. The rising sun will eventually set. A newborn's life will fade. From sun to moon, moon to sun… Give peaceful rest to the living dead."

As the final verse came to a close, she was quiet for a moment. "Well, that was an interesting poem… huh?" Her attention was drawn to something etched into the corner of the stone. "There's something carved here… it's a song! Can you read sheet music?"

Link tilted his head, then shook it. "I don't know what sheet music is."

"It's music written down… oh nevermind I'll hum it for you. Who knows, maybe it will come in handy?"

Link brandished the ocarina as Navi began to hum. He carefully fingered the notes he knew from memory, matching them to the notes Navi was playing, then followed the notes she played behind, repeating the simple melody a couple times. Once he was certain he had the notes down, he returned the ocarina to his pouch.

"Are you done?"

"Mhmm."

"Good, let's get out of here!"

Link spun around and began the cautious journey back, through the tomb, taking great care to avoid disturbing the redeads as he passed through the middle room. As he passed through the final room, he kicked something again. This time, it did not give way like the bone before had. Instead, it held fast.

Link let out a startled cry and too late reached his arms out to catch himself. He hit the ground hard with an oomph, the item that tripped him clattering behind him.

After a second of recovery, he reached back to see just what could have tripped him up. His fingers came in contact with metal, and as he sat up, he found himself looking down at an old battered shield, its surface a brilliant blue and silver even in the dim light made by his eyes.

"Navi!" He called out to the fairy as she looped back to check and make sure he had not hurt himself. "Navi, I like this. I'm taking it with me."

Navi let out a slow breath. "Link, taking something out of someone's grave is what we call grave robbing. It is very, very bad."

The boy tilted his head, staring without blinking. "Why? They're not using it!"

"It's disrespectful!"

"Oh… I'm taking it anyway."

"Link!"

Link ignored her protests, instead taking the time to latch the shield - which was as big as his torso - around his tiny arm. It was certainly too big to use like this, but he could find a use for it later, after he got out of this murky hole. At the minimum, it would make a neat trophy. With his new treasure in tow, he headed back to the ladder and scrambled back out into the fresh, afternoon air.

This time, he wandered back to the village, stretching in the warm sunlight. It was much busier in the daytime than it had been the night before, the sound of people chatting, cuccos clucking, and hammers pounding away at wood filling the air. A few people stopped to give him curious, wary stares, but otherwise he was unbothered as he made his way back towards the well.

"Over there."

Navi fluttered off to the side. Link turned his head and, spotting the barred inclined path ahead, dashed off after her.

In front of the gate, it was grassy. But it quickly gave way red dirt and stone beyond. A single, extremely bored looking guard stood beside the gate, leaning against the wall with a spear in hand.

Remembering his experience back at the castle, Link approached with hesitance in his step. Navi, however, was not waiting around and flew forward until she was in the man's line of sight.

As soon as the man noticed the child approaching him, he stood up straight, holding out a hand to stop Link. "Hold it," he started. "This area is not safe for children. Er…" He paused, taking note of the oversized shield and the sword on his back. "Even so, the road is closed except to official business only. Can't you read."

Link's eyes flickered out for a second. "No. I can't." He paused, turning his head to Navi. "But… the princess sent us. That makes this official right?"

The guard stared them down quietly for a moment, then let out a snort, covering his mouth. "O-oh, did she now?"

Navi narrowed her eyes but did not comment. For a moment she was quiet, then, a memory of the day before sparked in her brain. She bobbed up and down for a moment. "Oh! the note, show him the note, Link!

Link made a tiny noise of realization. Immediately, he slid the shield off of his arm and reached into his bag, fishing around for the parchment Zelda had given him the day before. As soon as it came in contact with his fingers, he pulled it out, all but shoving it into the guard's face.

The man blinked a couple times, then slowly leaned his spear to the side to take the parchment in both hands, turning it over once before opening it up to read the note contained inside. His straight face quickly gave way to an attempt to hide a grin. By the time he finished, he was snickering.

" _This is Link...He is under my orders to save Hyrule._ " The guard barely withheld his laughter. "W-well, I can verify this really is the princesses' signature. What kind of funny game has she come up with now? I guess I have no choice." He finally contained his snickers. "Are you sure about this kid? I really do mean it is dangerous up there. Tektites are all over the path. Not to mention the dodongos that sometimes come up from the depths of the mountain."

Link simply nodded in response, eyes set in determination.

The man let out a small sigh and shrugged. "Alright, hold on." He turned to walk to the far side of the gate where an iron wheel was set into the stone. Taking the wheel in both hands, he pulled down. Slowly, the gate began to open, creaking back to allow passage.

Impatient, as soon as the gap was wide enough to slip through, Link picked up his oversized shield again and slipped right on through, waving goodbye to the man as he took off up the path.

The already halfway over; perhaps it would have been better to stay in Kakariko another night. But he could not bring himself to wait any longer. Already, he was one more step closer to the second spiritual stone.


	9. Goron Pit

"Link, look out!"

The skull kid rolled to the side in the nick of time, barely avoiding the tektite that dropped from above.

The tektite let out an angry screech, hopping and turning around back towards the boy. Link reached back to grab hold of his sword, standing defensively.

The insect charged, springing into the air in hopes of crashing into and smothering its prey. Link was faster, however. He crouched down and, at the last second, stabbed upwards, the blade cutting deep into the monster's exposed belly. Its angry shriek became one of horror as Link used all his strength to push it back before removing his blade. The monster's blood gushed outwards, spilling across the rocks as its shrieks became weaker. Mere moments passed before it gave one final twitch, the light leaving its single eye.

Link panted, running his blade on a rock to clear off as much blood as possible. This was the third time now in the past hour or so one of the monster insects had attacked him, considerably slowing his ascent. He was already well sick of it.

He began to walk again, taking a sip of water from a small canteen. This time, however, he thought to keep ahold of his sword, just in case any more of the red monsters grew brave and attempted to challenge him.

As the incline began to grow steeper, Link realized he could make out what looked like a cave up ahead. However, it could offer him nowhere to shelter and rest, as a huge boulder covered the entrance. The only cracks in the seal were far too small for even him to slip through.

Still the sight struck his curiosity. Carefully, checking his surroundings as he approached the area – much wider open than the path he had taken thus far - Link padded up to the great stone. For the most part, it appeared intact. However, he could make out small cracks near the top, though not deep to make it break apart. He ran a hand along the rock face, mind drifting to try and come up with reasons it would be there.

"If you're looking for rock sirloin, I'm afraid you came at a bad time friend."

The deep, yet quiet voice made Link whip around suddenly, his grip on his sword tightening.

In front of him was a huge brown being, their hands raised in front of them defensively. Despite their size, they appeared to mean Link no harm. He let the sword fall to the side and eyed them curiously.

"Woah there little guy!" The creature cried out, louder this time. "I ain't gonna hurt you! I guess you haven't ever met a Goron before."

Link's head tilted to the side. So… this was a Goron? They appeared rotund, and almost bean shaped, with short skinny legs, and great beefy arms. Small rock-like protrusions jutted from their head and back.

He shook his head.

"Well, it's always nice to meet a guest!" The Goron responded with a chuckle, placing one hand over his belly. His stomach let out a low rumble shortly after, and his gaze sobered. "I'm afraid you came at a time we can't offer you hospitality though, friend. That great boulder there blocks the entrance to the Dodongo's Cavern, a very important place for us Gorons…"

"Gorons eat rocks," Navi explained. "This was likely their primary food source."

The Goron nodded a confirmation. "That's correct, it was. But one day, many dodongos suddenly appeared inside the cavern. It quickly became a very dangerous place! And then, if that was not bad enough, a Gerudo in black armor used his magic to seal the entrance with that boulder!"

Link shot Navi a sideways glance. She did the same. Ganondorf had been here too, from the sound of things. And that could only mean one thing.

Navi fluttered closer to the Goron, urgency giving her voice an edge. "Um, if you do not mind, we were actually trying to head to your city on royal business. Could you point us in the right direction?"

The Goron's face immediately lit up. "Are you messengers for the royal family? Have you come with aid? By all means don't let me keep you waiting! If you keep following this path up the mountain-" he cut off to turn and point towards another incline turning back, "you'll come right to Goron City's entrance. If there's something you can do, anything, please do!"

Link gave the Goron a quick nod. With renewed vigor, he took off at a light jog up the path, hoping that he was not too late.

* * *

Night fell before the duo could arrive, forcing them to tread carefully in the darkness. Link walked with one hand to the cliff raising high to his left, keeping an eye on the path in front of him for any gaps or holes. To his right, the path fell off sharply. Even with a fence to help prevent accidental falls in some spots, it was still nerve-racking to walk in the near darkness with a chance at untimely demise so close by.

Navi flew slightly ahead, leading the way with her pale light. Link painstakingly made sure to keep his footsteps only within the light, lest he slip and fall to his doom into the darkness below. Would the fall actually kill something undead like him? He would rather not find out.

For a moment, Link considered contacting Saria and Skull Kid to pass the time, as he had the evening before. But the danger around him made him reconsider, and instead he chose to follow silently and obediently behind his fairy friend.

Suddenly Navi came to a stop. Link slowed to a stop behind her.

"I think we're here," the fairy whispered. "Look." She fluttered ahead just a few feet, illuminating a raised platform in front of her. Stones had been placed in an unnatural near perfect circle on the platform itself. For what reason they were placed, Link did not know. But he knew one thing for sure- it meant civilization.

But it was not the only thing he spotted. As Navi's light drew further from his eyes, he could see a second, distant warm orange glow beyond the platform. The glow of firelight in a cave. That was it, it had to be the entrance.

With renewed effort, he trekked behind Navi quickly and carefully, finishing the last few minutes of the trip in silence. Soon, the warm glow overtook Navi's glow as he reached the cave entrance.

Link found himself in a vast, open cavern, lit by torches both at ground level and far above. On the far end, he could see the wall painted with faded colors that must once have been vibrant, depicting great, scaly, fire breathing beast. In front of it, suspended by thick ropes was a raised platform. It appeared to be empty.

The walkway he was on looked like it looped almost all the way around the space, sharply dropping off towards the center. As he inched close to the edge, he could see similar rings below, stretching out until the pit bottomed out. Although he could not make out the details well from here, at the center of the ground level appeared to be a ginormous clay pot.

Link backed away from the edge. Technically, he could make the jump down to the next level with no trouble, but without knowing he could find a way back up, he chose to instead search for another way. He glanced both to the right and the left. On either side a tunnel branched off, leading to a location that he could not make out from here.

Link chose to try the left path, giving the drop off a wide berth as he worked his way around the path. As he reached the tunnel, he could see in the dim light that it angled downwards, and as he began to descend, it curved back, spitting him out on the middle level.

Turning right, the next tunnel he encountered did the same, bringing him to the bottom level. From here, he could see he was right that the thing in the center was a huge clay pot, carved in the form of Gorons.

But other than the size, the pot did not interest him any. Perhaps what actually made him the most curious, however, was the closed door he could see just beyond. As he approached it, he could see that it too was carved from stone, with etching on it of what looked to him like fire and four triangles set into a shape that reminded him of an animal's paw print. Unlike the tunnels, this entryway happened to have what looked a woven mat at the entrance.

His gaze swept to the side, noting a Goron to the right that seemed to be dozing off.

Until Navi spoke to him, that is.

"Hey, Excuse me!" They fairy called out.

The Goron startled awake, uncurling. Almost immediately the rock creature was on his feet, eying the skull kid and his fairy cautiously.

"We were looking for-"

"Say no more," the Goron said, holding up a hand. "I can see it written all over your face. If I'm not mistaken, you came out here to eat the red stone! Well, too bad! It's not here!"

Link blinked once, staring at the Goron dumbfoundedly.

"What? No!" Navi responded for him, bobbing back and forth just slightly impatiently. "He doesn't eat rocks. He eats… fruit. And bugs, apparently." She came to a stop directly in front of the Goron. "No, we're not here to eat any rocks, but we are looking for a spiritual stone, do you know where we might find it?"

The Goron tilted his head. "Spiritual… stone? Do you mean the delicious-looking red stone that used to be displayed up there?" He tilted his head to look up towards the suspended platform far above them. Navi and Link looked up in turn.

"That sounds like the kind of place a special stone like this would be."

The Goron shook his head. "I'm afraid it's not there anymore. See, I was so hungry that I thought it would be okay if I gave it one tiny little lick...so I snuck out here. But it was already gone! I think Big Brother took it away. He always says that everyone is after that red stone!"

"Big… Brother?"

The Goron's eyes widened. "Don't tell me you've never heard of Big Brother Darunia, Chief of the Gorons?!"

Link slowly shook his head. Navi however seemed at least somewhat familiar. "I believe I have heard the name mentioned before. You'll have to excuse my friend's cluelessness. Link here is from the forest, and this is only the first time he's left."

The Goron's demeanor softened; he gave Link a gentle smile. "Apologies then, my friend. It's rare to have visitors that are not already familiar with our customs. If you wish to see the spiritual stone, you'll have to try speaking with Darunia."

"That's fine," Navi confirmed. "Where is he?"

The gentle giant's smile faltered. "That… might be a problem, actually. He gestured to the door beside him. "Big Brother has shut himself up in his room saying, 'I will wait in here for the Royal Family's messenger!' Unless you bring news from the castle, I'm afraid it may be some time before you're able to get in. We Gorons are having something of a crisis at the moment, I'm afraid."

"A food shortage, right?" Navi asked. When the Goron nodded, she continued. "We were filled in back near the cavern's entrance. Actually… we were sent here by the royal family. The princess, more specifically, sent us."

The Goron's eyes lit up. "Then you're here to do something about the food crisis? Then please, let me let you in!" He began to move, then stopped.

"Actually…" he started.

"What is it?"

"I was told that the messenger would come bearing some sort of proof. Something that only someone with a connection to royalty would have. I'm afraid without that, I can't let you in."

Dismayed, Link turned his head to Navi. The guard back in Kakariko had kept the note From Zelda. What else did they have?

Navi pondered the question for a moment, letting her mind wander back over the last few days, settling over the thoughts of their interaction with the princess; her dream… the story of the triforce… the male Gerudo… Impa… Impa! That was it!

"Link! The song! Play Zelda's song!"

Link's eyes immediately lit up. Of course! If anything would work, that would. His hands quickly reached into his pockets, fishing for the ocarina that was becoming familiar to his hands fast. His fingers brushed over the holes as he recited the song in his head. Only once he was certain he had the notes memorized did he begin to play.

The notes of the lullaby rang in the air, clear and calming. The boy's eye-lights flickered out as he found his worries melting away with the melody, memories of playing music with Skull Kid sticking in his head.

When his song drew to a close, the cavern was silent, save for the quiet breathing of both himself and the Goron beside him, and the soft crackle of torch flame.

Finally, a quiet, but firm voice sounded from beyond the sealed entrance.

"Let them in."

The Goron by the door snapped to attention at once before waddling over to the stone door and reaching down to give it a lift. The sound of stone grinding against stone rang, and slowly, the door began to retreat into a hole within the cave wall, revealing another short tunnel.

Although the pathway was dim, Link could see a brightly lit room not far beyond. He gave the Goron a wide smile and a fast, friendly wave, then stepped inside the room.

The room was sparsely decorated. And yet, it was much more extravagant than any other part of the city he had seen thus far. The only furniture was a couple of small tables, but beautiful handwoven carpets took up most of the floor. The walls had been carved into with intricate designs, and the carvings then painted a darker color. Banners adorned by the triforce symbol hung from the ceiling. And at the end, a carefully carved stone statue of a Goron stood, watching over all the room's inhabitants.

But it was the real Goron that stood in front of the statue that caught Link's eye. He was huge, far bigger and beefier than any of the other Gorons Link had seen thus far, standing more than twice his own height. From his head came great stiff tufts of thick hair, more like a mane than anything else.

The Goron stared Link down, the expression of his deep blue-violet eyes unreadable, crossing arms thicker than Link's head. Not even against Gohma had Link felt so small.

Link slowed his pace to a stop a few feet away.

"So…" the Goron started. "Who the heck are you?"

"I am Navi," the fairy chimed in response. "And this is Link. We were-"

She was cut off as Darunia began to mutter to himself, ignoring her. "When I heard the song of the Royal Family, I expected their messenger had arrived, but… I mean, the weird kid knows it, which I suppose makes him the messenger but…"

He suddenly jabbed a finger at Link, raising his voice. "You're just a kid! Tell me, has Darunia, the big boss of the Gorons, really lost so much status to be treated like this by his Sworn Brother, the King?"

Link took a startled step back, aghast. "I-"

Navi was the one that found her tongue first, answering for him. "What? No, of course not! We-"

But she was cut off again.

"Now, I'm REALLY angry!" The Goron roared. "Get out of my face, now!"

"WAIT!" Navi cried out in protest, fluttering dangerously close to the enraged Goron's face, her erratic flight causing her to let out jingles from frustration. "If you would just let us explain-"

Darunia cut her of tartly. "I don't have time to entertain children. If you haven't noticed, we Gorons are in the middle of a crisis! Ancient creatures have infested the Dodongo's Cavern! Starvation and hunger because of the rock shortage! If that wasn't enough, we've had a poor harvest of our specialty crop!" He let out a long huff, before finally calming just slightly, steadying his breathing.

"But… This is a Goron problem! We don't need any help from strangers! And certainly not from a royal family that couldn't bother to send anyone other than a child to speak with us."

He turned away from the duo, arms crossed. "Begone from my sight. You are free to stay the night, but I expect you to be gone by morning, understand? You come at a bad time, we have no room for hospitality."

"But-"

"Navi."

The fairy turned back to Look at Link. He had retreated to the edge of the room once Darunia had turned and now was staring straight at the fairy. He only shook his head, and turned to walk away, shoulders slumped.

Navi hesitated, but followed him out, stopping with him just outside.

"Well, that went terribly. But… We can't just give up. There has to be some way to get through to him, don't you think?"

Link shrugged, looking back to Navi for a moment before continuing onward towards the path back up, ignoring the question from the Goron beside the door.

Navi began to fly after Link, but stopped for a moment, turning back to speak to the Goron briefly before catching up.

"Link, he said he overheard everything. They don't have any traditional beds, but there's a tunnel nearby that sometimes blows wind from the forest. He said it might be a nice place to relaz."

The boy shrugged, considering his options for a moment, then shrugged again, suddenly feeling very weary. How late was it now? Staying up any longer would do him no good. He gave the fairy a tiny nod, beginning his search for the place to sleep.

Navi dashed forward to nuzzle up against the side of his jaw, a show of comfort. "Don't worry," she said quietly. "Sleep on it. Think on it. We'll come up with something in the morning."

* * *

 _Everyone seemed to be asleep; only the sound of chirping crickets and nocturnal creatures sounded throughout the Kokiri Forest. Good children were asleep at this time of night._

 _But by Kokiri standards, Link could hardly be considered a "good child."_

 _Good children did not help other children put prickly burrs in other children's beds. Good children did not find breaking pots amusing._

 _And good children certainly didn't go digging in other people's treasure boxes just because they could._

 _Yet here Link was, creeping into the village of forest children well after dark, his eyes on a particular chest he had seen the last time he and his friend had snuck into the village. Did it have anything interesting? He had no clue; it was the act of sneaking in to look that made it so enticing._

 _He adjusted his scratchy, fingerless gloves. It was only one small part of the outfit his friend had given him recently, the clothing that most skull kids wore, a sign of who they were, another way they were the same as the Kokiri but different. Honestly? It was too big, and itchy. His friend looked much better in the colors._

 _Perhaps, he thought as he crept quietly through the darkness, there was more to his interest in the forest than he realized. He'd always had some level of interest in the area since Skully had introduced him to it. Perhaps that was why he had chosen to make his home so close to the home of the other forest spirits._

 _For one reason or another he felt like there was something he had to do here. Something he had forgotten…_

 _The house he was looking for was just ahead. He'd learned from his bits of exploration and creeping around that this particular Kokiri was a bit full of himself. And also, a particularly heavy sleeper._

 _But as he approached the house, a path beyond him caught his attention. More than once in his trips, to the Kokiri Forest, he'd noticed the path before, but curiosity had never been strong enough to pull him towards the area. But tonight, he found it calling out to him._

 _Ransacking the Kokiri boy's treasure would have to wait._

 _Link changed his route towards the path, creeping along quietly in hopes of avoiding waking the other children. The path wound back and forth between two raised rock and dirt walls. What made him most interested, however, was the sound of resting Deku Baba plants to the sides. He took great care not to disturb them._

 _Before too long, the path opened back up into a large clearing, bits of moonlight filtering down through the canopy of leaves above._

 _Before Link was a gargantuan tree, far larger than any Link had ever seen, even in the twisting and winding Lost Woods. He made one last glance behind him, then turned to dash closer to the tree's roots for a closer look._

 _A creaking noise brought him to a sudden halt. He froze in place, not daring to twitch a finger or even blink._

 _'Child of the Lost Woods,' A voice rang out around him, seeming to come from everywhere and nowhere at the same time. 'What bringeth thee here?'_

 _Link let out a yelp, springing a good foot up into the air. Furiously he whipped his head back in forth in an attempt to find what the source might be._

 _The voice chuckled in his head. "You need not fear, child. Any child of the forest or the woods is indeed welcome here. I, the Great Deku tree, welcome all underneath my protection."_

 _He finally turned his attention to the tree. How odd, how peculiar. And yet, he felt like it made sense. A forest spirit protecting all forest spirits._

 _"I came to look around," he half-lied. Certainly, he would not be welcome if his mischievous antics were revealed, right?_

 _The tree was silent for a moment, but then he laughed again, "Now, now, child, I can hear that thine words ring not true. I hear worry in thine voice. Come, sit amongst my roots, thou may speakest to me of thine troubles and I will listen."_

* * *

Link groggily blinked awake, parts of the dream of meeting the Deku Tree still lingering in his mind. They left a sour taste in his mouth. Not because of any part of the dream, but because it reminded him of the Deku Tree's request. And of Zelda's request. And of how it seemed like he had already failed.

Sure, he was not ready to quit quite yet. But what could he do, steal the Sacred Stone? Certainly, the idea, while maybe not the best solution, was not totally out of the picture for him. But how could he manage to even pull it off, when he had not a single clue as to the whereabouts of the gem.

Navi stirred, her sleep disturbed by Link's movement. She fluttered up to rest on his shoulder as he sat up, stiff from his rest on the dirt floor. Gorons seemed like they could just curl up and take a nap at any time, almost anywhere. No wonder they had no "traditional beds."

Link stretched, arms raising high as he blinked his sleep from his eyes. It was just as dark in the tunnel he had slept in as it had been the night before. In fact, he had no clue what time of day it might be without the sun or moon to tell him. It could be the middle of the night still, for all he knew.

His stomach rumbled, the only real sign that much time had passed. It occurred to him that he had not eaten since before he had left Kakariko the day before. He shifted to reach for his bag, pulling out some of the remaining wrapped fruit, and ripped a small chunk of bread off the remainder of his loaf. For a moment, he wondered if Goron cuisine was anything he'd enjoy. Then again, they kept speaking of eating rocks. He may have… odd tastes in comparison to humans or Kokiri, but even _he_ would never eat a rock.

He took a bite of the bread, chewing thoughtfully. He did not feel much better rested than he had been when he arrived. But it did not matter. Darunia expected him to leave. But he had to find some way to get that stone. His mind drifted to the angry Goron the night before. In his current state of mind, he had no hope of getting through to him. There _had_ to be some way he could get him to calm long enough to talk at least…

...Maybe Saria would have an idea.

As soon as he had finished his modest breakfast Link moved to dig the fairy ocarina from his pockets and began to play the familiar tune.

Several moments of silence followed, then finally Saria's sweet, singsong voice answered.

"Link? Link can you hear me?"

"Loud and clear," Link responded, holding back a yawn.

"That's good. Where are you? We were worried when you didn't call. Skull Kid was especially worried."

"Skull Kid is there?"

"He's asleep," she explained. "But yes, he's here. He snuck into my house sometime last night. I'm pretty sure he stayed up and watched me sleep waiting for a call from you. Does… I'm not sure how well he understands what personal space is."

Link could not help but giggle at Sarias frustrated tone. He himself, on several occasions had awoken to Skully's face hanging above his, eagerly waiting for him to awake.

"But enough about that, how-" Saria cut off mid-sentence.

"LINK!" Skull Kid's voice rang in his head. "Linklinklinklinklink! There you are finally! I was waiting all night for you! Did you find the stone already? I bet you did because you're totally cool. Well?"

"Well… not really, actually. No."

"Oh."

Link let out a sigh. "I made it to the Gorons but… they don't want to listen."

"They're having problems here too," Navi chimed in after landing on the ocarina. "Food shortages for one thing, likely caused by the same man that cursed the Deku Tree." She paused. "How… are things there right now, anyways. Has anything… changed?"

"Nothing…" There was a moment of hesitation in Saria's voice. "Nothing so far. But it's been… four days now? The forest grew over hundreds… thousands of years even. It will likely take more time for the effects of our guardian's death to show."

"Aw chin up," Skull Kid butted in cheekily. Link could only imagine that he was making some sort of silly face as an attempt to lighten the mood. "I'm sure everything will be fine. Besides. Us skull kids have survived for just as long without the Deku Tree's help. You Kokiri could do it too!"

"It's not that simple," Saria responded glumly.

"She's right," Navi added. "Even the Lost Woods were under some level of guidance and control of the Deku Tree. It's mists helped keep the Kokiri safe from intruders, but the Deku Tree kept the mists from spreading too far. Once his power fades…" She trailed off.

"You don't _know_ anything bad will happen though," Skull Kid argued. "Why worry then. It just makes you a bunch of sad, sobby people! Have some fun."

"I can't just _not_ worry about it, Skull Kid!"

"...We're… getting off topic," Link finally cut in quietly and hesitantly, before the two forest dwellers could become tenser. "I know this is important too but… could we worry about the stone first? I… never told you guys I saw the man that probably cursed the Deku Tree, did I?"

Silence.

"I guess not."

"No… What's he like?" Saria finally asked.

"He's really tall. Taller than most adults that I saw. And his hair is the color of a fire! He wore dark armor and… And his eyes were the scariest part- he looked like he could kill you just by looking at you!"

Neither Saria nor Skull Kid responded for a while. Skull Kid was the one to break the silence this time.

"So… are you gonna fight him?"

"What?" Navi cut in. "Of course not! We are _not_ going to fight him. We're going to stop him before he has the chance to hurt anyone. Then the adults can deal with it."

"Adults can't be trusted to deal with anything," Skull Kid grumbled, but he quickly changed the subject. "So, you need to get the Gorons to listen to you, so you can get the stone from them right?"

"Right."

"Well, what about a gift? Or a trade of some sort?" Saria suggested.

"What do you have in mind?" Link asked.

"I don't know… what are you good at? Besides mischief. I don't think they'd appreciate your childish antics."

"Oh, I know! Put bomb powder in with their food! They eat rocks, right? No one would notice!"

"SKULL KID! That is the exact OPPOSITE of a good idea!"

Skull Kid cackled. "Kidding! Totally Kidding!" He probably was not kidding.

"...Well…" Link started, considering. "I can swing a sword. And I can play music. And…. Actually, I think that's it. If we're not counting pranking as a skill."

"Music sounds like a great idea," Saria responded. "It should be a great show of goodwill. Now… what song should you play. Something cheerful maybe? Or maybe you could pick up some of their own music, as a show that you're interested in their culture?"

"I hear Gorons make great lullabys," Skull Kid suggested. "That should put someone that's angry right to sleep right?"

Link opened his mouth to respond, but his eyes caught movement in the dim light. He turned his head towards the source. A Goron stood at the end of the tunnel, staring and shifting on his feet.

"Uh, guys, I think I need to go. But I'll keep the ideas in mind."

"Come home soon! It's so _boring_ without you!" Was the last thing Link heard from Skull Kid before pulling his hand away.

Link quickly stashed the ocarina back away before scrambling to his feet. For several minutes, he and the Goron stared at each other in silence. But surprisingly, it was Link that broke the silence.

"Um… how long have you been standing there?" Link asked, nervously fiddling with the bottom of his tunic.

"A few minutes," the Goron responded, unmoving. "I thought I heard music. Instead I found you talking to yourself."

"Oh, the music was me, too." He considered explaining himself but decided against it. After all, who knew how much sense that would make to anyone else. A magical ocarina? That just sounds like crazy talk!

The Goron brought a hand to his chin, considering. "Then… are you, by chance, from the forest?"

Link nodded in response.

Excited, the Goron approached faster now, taking hold of Link's tiny wooden hands. "I knew it! I knew I recognized that tune!"

He raised back up to full height, gesturing to the pile of rocks behind Link. "We used to be able to hear it drifting from the forest through here sometimes, until the tunnel collapsed. Everyone loved it."

He stooped back down, once again taking Link's hands. "Do you think you could come play it for everyone? We're all so tired and hungry, but maybe it might lift everyone's spirits like it did mine!"

Link considered it, looking back to Navi. It could be a huge waste of time… or exactly what they needed to continue their quest.

Finally, eyes sparkling, he turned his attention back to the Goron. "Do you want to hear it on flute or ocarina?"

* * *

Darunia was tired.

He was more than tired, really. Hunger gnawed at his stomach. Today would mark his third day of his impromptu "fast", and a whole week since his last actual decent meal, having offered his portion of his quickly dwindling reserves to the neediest of his people.

They were running out of time.

How long would it be before he began to see his people perish at the claws of starvation? How long before he, too, succumbed to hunger's cruel whims?

His tribe's pride would not allow him to just give into the Gerudo man's demands. But how many of his people could he watch suffer before he would be forced to relent?

Would giving into his demands even save his people? Or would they be left to starve anyways?

More than once, he had considered leaving to solve the problem of Dodongo's cavern. But twice since the sealing, the Gerudo had come to demand he hand over the stone. Would he slaughter his people to take it by force, if he saw that Darunia had left?

He could not risk it.

And then there was the matter of the wooden child from the night before. He had been foolish to think the royal family would send help. They had been a neutral party in the civil war, the Gorons having no use for the people and lands beyond their mountain. He had not expected much. But to send a CHILD to do an adult's job? It insulted him and disgraced the royal Hylians.

Darunia was pulled out of his thoughts by the sound of music outside his chamber, and not far from outside at that. The tune struck a chord, familiar to his ears, a memory of better times. Finally, curiosity got the better of the Goron chief. He stepped outside into the main chamber.

Several Gorons had gathered in the lowest floor, rain their heads higher up towards the next floor. Many were dancing, while others clapped along with the beat.

But at the head of it all, standing high and proud on the ledge above, was the wooden child from the night before, fingers gliding along the surface of an ocarina.

One particularly excited Goron appeared beside the boy, brandishing a tambourine. Wind instrument melded with a traditional Goron sound. Creating a lively fusion.

When was the last time Darunia had seen his people this jubilant? Certainly, it had to have been before their current misfortune had struck.

Darunia felt a smile creeping onto his face. For the first time in well over a month, watching his people dance and be joyful, he felt the weight of all the wrongs in their world lifting from his shoulders, even if only for the moment.

Mind free of the stresses upon him for a moment, Darunia began to dance with his people hopping from foot to foot and swinging his arms wildly.

"Oh!"

"What a hot beat!"

"Come on! Come on come on!"

However long the group danced, he could not be sure. But by the time the song drew to a close, even with the hunger still gnawing at him, Darunia felt more at peace than he had in weeks.

"What a nice tune!" He called out, causing the entire cavern to turn to him. His mind drew back to the night before, when he had so harshly turned the boy away. He could see now that it had been a mistake. If nothing else, it would not hurt him to listen to what the kid had to say.

"Hey kid! Come on down here, I'd like to have a word with you!"

The kid opened his mouth slightly in shock. But he wasted no time regardless, choosing to slide down the side of the cliff instead of taking the tunnel down. In no time at all, he was bounding to catch up to the Goron chief as he made his way back to his chamber.

* * *

Once again, Link found himself in Darunia's room, nervously tugging at his tunic. This time, however, the great boulder of a Goron seemed much more at ease as he took a moment to adjust the jars on his sparse furniture. Once he seemed satisfied, he turned back to the skull kid.

"I need to apologize to you, kid. I've been in a bit of a rut lately, worried about everything going on here. But that music you played. Oh, it made me think back to better times. Something just came over me! I suddenly wanted to dance like crazy!

"Let me introduce myself properly. I am Darunia! I'm the big boss of the Gorons!" The huge boulder of a Goron beat a fist against his chest. "You seemed to have something you wanted to say last night. Was there something you wanted to ask me about?"

Link turned his head to look at Navi, who seemed almost as surprised as he was. But unwilling to let the opportunity pass, Navi spoke up.

"Well, you see sir, we've been asked by the princess to gather three Sacred Stones, in hopes of stopping an evil man from taking them, and from doing bad things. We've already got one - Link show him the emerald." She paused long enough to allow Link time to brandish the gem and present it to Darunia before she continued. "So we came with the request of borrowing the Goron's gem."

Darunia's gaze darkened slightly. He turned his head to the side, raising a finger to his chin. "So… you want the Spiritual Stone of Fire, too?" He turned his head back. "The Spiritual Stone of Fire, also known as the Goron's Ruby, is our race's hidden treasure..." For a moment he seemed like he was considering something, but he made no movement.

"As such, it is not something I can just give up to you. Especially not in a moment of crisis like we have now. But… I would be willing to part with it for the greater good, if you are willing to do us a service in return."

"What kind of service?" Navi asked.

"Our food source, Dodongo's cavern, was cut off by that wicked man, possibly the same one you are trying to stop. Why don't you go destroy the monsters inside of the Dodongo's Cavern and prove you're a real man? That way, everybody will be happy again! More than that, it would be saving my people from starvation. If you do it, I will give you anything you want, even the Spiritual Stone! Is that fair to you?"

Link tilted his head considering.

"Now hold on," Navi interjected. "I understand your reasoning, but there has to be-"

"I'll do it."

"Wait, Link!" Navi whipped around to face the boy, flying close. "Look, Link. You don't understand. A monster infested Dodongo's cavern is dangerous enough for someone like a Goron. But it's a place of fire and lava. Your body is made of wood. One wrong step could _kill_ you."

For a second, Link froze, eyes wide. But then he shook his head to clear it. "I'll just have to try."

Darunia seemed to hesitate for a moment too. But finally, he responded after shaking his head to clear it as he began to walk back to the table to his side. "If you really do mean to try, I have something for you. I'm not really giving you this in return for anything but take it anyway. If you wear this, even a little fella like you can pick a Bomb Flower - one of the special crops us Gorons raise. They work like a bomb, exploding shortly after you pick it. So, you have to be _very_ careful. Still, you'll need this just to get inside. Understand?"

He turned back to Link, holding out a small, gold colored bracelet that was spiky on one end. An inset red crest, similar to the design Link had seen painted on the walls, decorated it.

Link accepted the item, slowly slipping it over his wrist. "... How does this actually help me?"

"Firstly, the bomb flowers are heavier than they look, it helps you like a brace would. But secondly, the leaves are quite sharp, so the bracelet protects your wrist when you go to pick the bud, understand."

Link considered for a moment, then slowly, he nodded. "I… think so."

The Goron smiled. "Glad to hear it. Good luck little guy, I look forward to seeing you soon!"

The boy adjusted the bracelet on his hand then turned to scurry out of the room. The day may have been half over already, but he could not sit and wait. Dodongo's cavern awaited him!


	10. Through Fire

_Through Fire_

* * *

"Look out below!" were the only words of warning the Goron guarding Dodongo's cavern got before a bomb flower -tossed from the cliff above his head - came flying down, landing just beside the giant boulder blocking their mines. He curled and rolled, dashing a few feet away out of the line of fire. The flower exploded, shaking the area around him and throwing dust up into the air. Chunks of rock flew through the air beside him, landing with a crunch.

He stayed curled up for some time, until the dust finally settled. When he finally did look up though he found pieces of rock scattered about the area. He whipped his head back towards the entrance to the cavern. The boulder that had blocked the entrance was now in shambles, leaving chunks of rock here and there. The way may not be totally clear, but it had opened enough for someone to enter if they climbed over the remains. And most of said remains were now in pieces small enough to be moved out of the way.

Slowly, it occurred to the Goron to look up above, towards where the bomb must have been thrown from. His head tilted upwards. Above him a wooden child - the same child from the day before - stood, waving down with a big, toothy smile on his face. He hesitantly held a hand up to wave back.

"Did you see that Navi?" Link asked, turning his gaze to his fairy. "That was so cool!"

The fairy flittered back and forth around the child worriedly. "Yes, yes, but be careful with those Link! They're not like a slingshot, you could gravely injure someone with an explosion like that. Or yourself!"

The child laughed, waving his hand dismissively. "You worry too much. Now come on, we should get moving! The sooner we sort out that cavern, the better!"

Navi finally landed on his shoulder. "Are you sure about this Link? It's really one of the most dangerous places you could go. It would be bad enough for… say, a Kokiri. But you're made of wood. Highly flammable wood."

Link let his hands fall to his side, his cheeky smile faltering. For a moment, it seemed like he really was going to consider it. But then he clenched his fists. "I have to do it. I said I would. Besides, we need that stone!" Without another word, he began to climb over the fence, lifting a foot to climb onto the barricade.

" _What are you doing?!"_

"I'm going to jump. It's faster."

"You're going to break your legs is what you're going to do!"

"Can someone made of wood even break their legs?"

"YES!"

Link just laughed. With both feet on the top rung, he sprang, flying into the air before suddenly dropping like a rock. But before he hit the bottom, he found his fall broken by falling into someone's arms.

"Ooof!"

Dazed, it took Link a moment to reorient himself. He found himself in the arms of the Goron from down by the cavern, who must have had to move like crazy to catch him in time.

"Aw, thanks!" He said cheerfully with a giggle.

"No… problem…" The Goron replied slowly, eyes still wide from the stunt.

Navi, having been thrown off by the jump seconds ago, fluttered down at a much more reasonable pace. "Honestly, have you lost your mind? What if you _had_ broken something, we'd be set back by weeks. Don't _ever_ do that again. Understand?"

Link blinked at the fairy once, then nodded, although he did not seem to act like he understood at all. That, or he did not care. Regardless, he hopped out of the Goron's arms and began to scamper towards the rubble in front of the cavern entrance.

"Hey wait!" The Goron called out to him.

Link paused, turning his head back.

"You don't really mean to go in there, do you? It's dangerous!"

"I said I would," Link responded with a nod of his head before turning towards it once again.

The Goron hesitated for a moment. "Well… hold on a second at least!"

The boy paused, turning his head back towards the rock person, who hobbled over to him.

"Here, look, that shield is way too big for you to use it like that." He pointed to the hylian shield on the boy's arm, which was keeping him off-center with its weigh.

"Try using it like this." Carefully, the Goron slid Link's arm out of the straps, lifting the shield off and moving it to his back. He lifted one of the small skull kid's arms, pulling it through one strap, then did the same with the other. Finally, to give it a little extra stability, he took a third strap that ran diagonal and ran looped it over Link's shoulder.

"There. No you can duck behind it like a Goron would shield with their back." The Goron gave a friendly smile, gesturing to his stony backside.

Finally settled, Link fished again into his bag for the smaller Kokiri shield he had used before. Then he gave the Goron one last smile and wave before scampering off over the pile of rubble and into the cavern beyond.

As his eyes began to adjust in the dim light, the first thing Link noticed was the sweltering heat. Some summer days were so hot and humid that he would want to just lay down and do nothing. This heat was dry but seemed to be hotter than any day he was used to.

The room he was in was relatively small and dark. With the light provided by Navi, he could just make out the dim shapes of bomb flowers growing in the dim light to either side of him. But perhaps what was as out of place as the wooden boy was, was the boulder seated firmly in front of him, smaller but similar to the one that had blocked him from getting this far.

Link approached one of the bomb flowers, digging his feet into the ground as he gripped the bud from the bottom, pulling until it came loose with a satisfying pop. He stumbled back from the sudden loss of resistance, dropping the bud. Almost immediately, the flower began to fizzle and smoke. He grabbed hold of it only for long enough to chuck it at the boulder blocking his path, then sprang as far away as the small room would allow.

The flower continued to fizzle and pop for a few seconds, until finally, it exploded, bits of the bud flying outwards. Bits of rock flew into the air, thrown this way and that into the walls and onto the floor, one chunk just barely avoiding hitting Link in the head.

As the dust settled, light filled the room. As did heat, so much more heat than before. Link began to make his way towards the new opening, climbing over bits of debris. The heat continued to only grow worse, so much worse. Already, his body felt dry and parched. And as he walked into the cavern beyond, he could see why.

He was on a ledge overlooking a huge room. Below him, over the edge, slow, nearly solidified lava oozed around the center of the room, heating the rock and metal, and of course, the air of the room to sweltering temperatures.

Link took a couple steps back, assessing the rest of the chamber. The only way to advance was by jumping to a precarious pillar of rock, surrounded by the lava below. Another, larger platform stood beyond that. From there, he could travel by the same method to other outcroppings similar to, but larger than the one he was on.

Glancing up, he could make out the form of bridges and more cliffs suspended above him, way too far for him to reach. And at the far end of the room was a humungous animal skull buried partway into the wall.

Link slowly made his way out onto the metal pier, making sure to keep his balance on the spread-out slats. "This place is so weird…" he mumbled. "How would they do anything in here, with everything so… inaccessible?"

"Well," Navi began, considering. "For one thing, Gorons can survive on hot coals and even in lava for a short time. But more importantly… it sounds to me like this place was cursed by Ganondorf, just like the Deku Tree was. If so, depending on the strength of the curse, it could be anything from the destruction of paths, to literal warping of the layout of the caves.

"Which is _why_ ," she continued with emphasis. "I think we should try to speak with Darunia and find another way. This place would be dangerous enough for a Goron warrior that knows the ins and outs of this place. But you, someone who could be seriously injured - _or worse -_ by the smallest misstep, have no business being here!"

"You worry too much," Link responded with a dismissive wave of his hand before stretching. "Besides, I thought you were pretty into this saving the world thing?"

"It's my job to worry about you, Link. But besides that, I _am_ as on board with this as you. But you can't save the world if you're dead, you know."

"I'm… pretty sure I already died though, technically."

" _Deader."_

Navi's clarification fell on deaf ears. Link had already turned his attention to focus on the pillar of rocks between himself and the platform beyond. He began to back up, finding himself wishing once again that he had mastered the ability to teleport already. But this was certainly not the place to practice. Despite his disagreement with Navi, he still had to admit that this place was indeed dangerous.

Sucking in one final breath, Link took one final step, steadying himself, then dashed forward, springing off the pier at the last possible second.

He soared through the air, one leg outstretched. His eyes remained firmly glued to the platform in front of him. He landed with relative grace, taking a couple small steps at the end of his jump to slow down his momentum, coming only inches from the edge.

The stone column was not horribly small - giving him about enough space that he could take two bounds - but it was not really enough space to give him a running start either. And the next gap was just as wide.

Link turned and stepped till he was almost at the furthest point and turned, the heel of his boots almost parallel with the edge. One breath to steady his nerves, then he dashed again picking up as much speed as he could before springing off, arms outstretched.

This time, his momentum was not quite enough to carry him all the way across. He slammed into the side with a heavy "oomph," arms and upper torso grabbing hold of safety, but legs scrambling against the rough, jagged side in an attempt to find footing and push himself to safety. For one horribly long second, he felt himself slipping. Then finally, one boot found stable enough footing, then the other. With one last push of strength, he pushed up off the foothold and dragged himself up onto the platform, flopping onto his back once he was safe.

Breaths came ragged for a moment as the moment of fear subsided. Too close. Too close to becoming a living torch. His momentary rest did not last long, however. As he became aware of an odd whirring noise nearby. Slowly, Link rolled onto his side and pushed himself to his knees, eyes darting around.

In the center of the platform was a round… almost egg-shaped… thing. It sat on two legs, and a round orb rotated at the top. More disturbing, however, were the nose and mouth shapes jutting out of its ovular body. As the orb continued to rotate, a single eye came into view.

The eye came to a stop, staring directly at Link.

"Link MOVE!"

Link began to run to the side, instinctively reaching for his sword and smaller shield. Where he stood just seconds before, the monster shot a white, sizzling hot beam out.

But the beam did not stop. Instead, the creature began to turn its gaze towards Link, the beam following suit.

"Your sword and shield won't do any good against this guy!" Navi called out in alarm, flying ahead of Link towards a new rock pillar. "Here, this way!"

Link ran to the side, sharply changing directions. He had only seconds to judge the distance before he made his jump, this time landing on his butt to slow his momentum enough to keep him from toppling over the edge.

The sizzling behind him stopped.

"That was a beamos," Navi explained as Link caught his breath on the small pillar of safety. "They cannot see very far, but their beam will home in on you if you get too close. They must have been set up here to deter intruders. Sorry I didn't see it sooner."

"'S'okay," Link managed to respond between gasps as he desperately tried to catch his breath. After a second, he took a moment to take a swig of water out of his canteen, choosing to remain on the small bit of safety until he felt his nerves return to normal. Only then did he prepare himself for the next jump. This time, he made sure to spy out footholds before he sprang, climbing to the other side with relative ease.

He began to walk again, turning right to make his way down the ledge he stood on. At the far end a dark tunnel branched off from the room, no light in sight. Navi flew just barely ahead, lighting a path for the skull kid. Link followed shortly behind, brushing his right hand against the wall as a guide. As they moved further and further away from the cavern, the air began to cool slightly, though it was still just as dry as before.

Link took another large gulp of water as he walked and attempted to fan himself to cool off with limited success. Yes, he was indeed cooler than he had been in the first room, but it was still far hotter than would be comfortable.

As he made his way through the tunnel in relative silence, more than once he found a branching path that lead to a single room, only to turn and lead back into the tunnel. Likely, this was a hot mining area for the Gorons, given the multiple dead ends and occasional equipment he found lying around, none of it useful for him.

"Are you okay?" Navi asked when he took another sip of water as they returned from one such dead end.

"Just a little thirsty," he responded. "I don't know how Gorons can stand the heat here."

"Because they've adapted to survive the heat," Navi responded. "They can survive in environments like this. If they went elsewhere, they wouldn't do so well. Imagine a Goron trying to live in a lake. Or even…" She paused, considering.

"Okay, so you know how you and other skull kids are really good at sneaking and hiding, especially in the forest. In dense woods, no one would ever be able to find you if you didn't want them to, right? The same goes for Kokiri."

"...Yeah?"

"Now, imagine a Goron trying to do the same. Imagine, for a moment, a Goron trying to live in the forest. Sure, they could be safe from things like wolfos, but they wouldn't be able to hide from bigger threats. And food? They'd be hard-pressed to find a steady supply."

"Uh...huh?"

"Now, here you are doing the same. You've come into an area that Gorons are built for - hot and filled with lava, things they've adapted themselves against. But you? You're putting yourself in danger by being here."

"...And?"

"And what I'm saying, Link, is that they never should have asked someone that's not suited to this kind of environment, an environment that works directly against them, to come in and solve all their problems."

"But they did," Link responded with a shrug. "And I said I would do it so I'm going to do it."

Navi let out an exasperated sigh. "Please Link," she pleaded. " _Please_ listen to me. You could get yourself hurt or killed! This is different from the Deku Tree. Yes, we need that stone. Yes, they said to do this, but there has to be another way. If we just went back and talked to Darunia-"

"I said I'm DOING THIS!"

Navi fell silent as the skull kid angrily whipped around to face her, hands clenched.

"Don't treat me like a little kid-"

"Link," she cut him off gently. "You _are_ a little kid."

"I can take care of myself!" He argued. "I'm not some helpless Kokiri- I got along just fine this long without a fairy. Watch me, I'm going to get through here, with or _without_ your help."

With a curt nod of his head, Link spun back around and continued down the path, stewing in silence. Leaving Navi to droop before rushing to catch up.

Again, the pair continued on in silence for some time, Link now leading the way despite his limited vision. After what felt like hours, but likely was not much more than one, he came to the end of the tunnel. As he turned to his left, he could just barely make out the outline of a huge, metal door to his left.

"Huh," he mumbled as he approached, climbing up iron steps to reach it. There was no way he could open it by himself. Was it even meant to be opened that way? As he looked it over, another object to the side caught his attention. Built into the floor was a large lever, just next to the door.

He approached, grabbing hold of the oddly carved handle, and began to pull with all his might, boots slipping and scraping on the dirt floor. For some time, it seemed like it would not move. But finally, with a creek, it gave way, snapping over all at once and sending him tumbling to the ground.

Almost immediately the door opened, leading through a small tunnel with another door at the end. As he approached, he felt another noticeable rise in temperature.

This door, too, opened by lever. As soon as the pulled the lever down and the door slid open, he was hit with an intense blast of heat and the light of red-hot lava. For a moment, he honestly considered turning back. But his desire to complete what he started got the better of him, and he stepped into the room.

He was once again on a large, rock platform. Perhaps six feet or so below flowed lava, mostly still hot and fresh. More poured down from a fall above; where it might be coming from, he did not know. A huge pillar of rock rose high above him, but he could not see the top from here.

Link began to make his way around the room, carefully avoiding the edges of his platform. It was separated from other platforms nearby, barely a jump away. As he continued to make his way around the pillar, another door. Upon reaching the final platform, he paused, rubbing his face.

"Are you okay?" Navi asked.

"Little dizzy," he responded, nodding regardless.

"Link, I really think-"

"Don't say it," he responded sharply, cutting her off. "Look, we're almost out of the room, see? we just got to-"

Link cut off when he heard a loud, angry cry from above. Suddenly, he watched as the lever to open the door in front of him seemed to move further to the side than it already was, metal bars slamming down in front. Before he had a chance to say anything, a monster - a lizard more than twice his size, donning limited armor, jumped from above.

A trap. Link scrambled back, watching the edge as best he could while keeping an eye on the lizard in front of him.

"A lizalfos!" Navi cried out. "Look out, it's got a knife!"

Link scrambled to the side as the lizalfos sprang into the air, trying to bring the knife down on his head like one would typically use a sword. It whizzed through the air harmlessly as the lizalfos came down inches to his side. He spun around to try and strike at the lizard, managing to cut a shallow, thin slice into its side.

The lizalfos spun, facing Link. The knife swung overhead through the air once again.

"Duck!" Navi cried out.

Without really having time to think about it, Link crouched down. He felt force hit his back, and a metallic clang as the knife bounced harmlessly off the back of his shield. As he rose back up, he struck out, attempting to gut the angry lizard.

It sprang back at the last possible second, avoiding being skewered. This time, it rushed forward, charging knife first.

Link scrambled backwards, then, as he felt his feet hitting the edge of the stone, he spun and leapt as far as he could onto the next one, whipping back around as quickly as he could, swinging his sword blindly.

A metallic clang rang out. Link turned his head in time to see the creature's knife fly through the air, falling into the pool of lava below. The lizalfos let out a startled cry. A small smile crept onto his face. He had the upper hand, this was his chance! He braced himself to thrust forward. At the same time, the lizalfos sucked in air…

" _GET BACK!"_ Navi screamed, zipping against Link's alarm.

With little time to react to Navi's sudden dire warning, Link took a step back, throwing up his wooden shield. Almost immediately, he was met with a burst of flame knocking against the shield. He winced, bracing as flames licked around the edges, cinders threating to cling to his arm.

The flame attack began to die away… But unfortunately for the little hero, fire still remained. The shield! Crying out in alarm, he shook his arm until the shield came loose, flinging it across the room.

The lizard let out a delighted cry as it charged forward in hopes of overwhelming its prey.

" _LINK!_ "

He let out a startled cry, thrusting forward with both arms in a last-ditch effort to defend himself, flickering his vision away and waiting for claws to tear at his arms.

But they never came. Only a garbled cry came from the lizard.

Slowly, Link peeked an eye back. His attack had driven his sword deep into the lizalfos' exposed stomach. Hesitantly, he brought a boot up to push the monster away, pulling his blade free. Blood poured from the wound as the lizard fell to the ground.

Link panted, watching for a moment as the lizard's cries and movement became weaker. Then, unable to bear watching, he turned his back, continuing back to the door, sheathing his sword. Slowly he grabbed hold of the lever and began to pull again, tugging with all his might as he pulled it forward first to unlock, then to open. The door slid open, the cooler air beyond only barely a relief. But still a relief. Unwiling or unable to bear the heat any longer, he dashed through the door, turning to shut it behind him.

* * *

"Darunia!"

The Goron chief glanced up from the map on his table, his attention caught by the Goron that had entered his room.

"Gordo, my brother!" Darunia called out with a hearty wave. "How goes the excavation of the entrance?"

The two took a moment to share a hearty embrace. "We've cleared enough of the rocks and debris for a Goron to enter, big brother! Although we're still stabilizing the entrance," The Goron, Gordo, announced as he stepped away. "Briggs stepped inside to check out the damages that might have occurred. The entrance cavern is mostly clear of monsters but…"

"But?"

"But unfortunately, the bridge is out, and lava levels are up even in the main room by at least ten percent. We could probably at least get some workers over to the eastern mining sites if we set up some ramps up for jumping, but we have no clue what might be waiting beyond the entrance."

Darunia gave the Goron a grim nod, considering their words carefully. "Still, it's a start. I'll take care of any infestation in the southern quarter myself, if I have to, as soon as I secure our sacred treasure. We need access to the mines back as soon as possible." He paused. "... Any sign of that kid?"

"He definitely entered – Igne watched him enter – and there had been a second boulder just inside that was also destroyed. But he must have jumped across the ledges and continued on, we have no clue where he is."

"Understood." Darunia grew quiet for a moment as he turned back to the map on his table. A map of the caverns. He had been looking over the layout carefully, something weighing on his mind since he'd sent the skull kid off to Dodongo's Cavern.

His fingers brushed over a particular room on the map, a room where lava poured freely from cracks in the cavern above. Gorons had no trouble in the lava. They could even safely walk in thin layers of it for a while. But there was a reason the mines were Goron territory. No other race could do that. Not Zoras, not Hylians, and certainly not…

...children made of wood.

His mind raced back to the Fairy's protests. What was _wrong_ with him?

Slowly, he turned to the Goron in the room, who stood at attention, waiting for their dismissal.

"...Gordo, brother, I have a favor to ask of you."

"Yes, Big Brother?"

"I need you to have the men set up some rock ramps, like you were talking about earlier."

"Of course."

"I also need you to send a couple men to guard my room. I'll be out for a while. Oh, and… fetch me my war hammer, please."

* * *

Hands grabbed hold of the lever to tug it back once again, the door creaking closed behind him.

The new room was dark, but also significantly cooler. Link, knees weak, sank to the ground, hot and exhausted. Reaching for his canteen, he took another swig of water.

"Um… Link?" Navi spoke up after a moment, a nervous edge in her voice.

The skull kid's eyes turned to the fairy quizzically.

"Link, oh my goddesses, your arm!"

Link tilted his head, staring blankly at the fairy. Until he heard the pop.

A sharp pain shot up the boy's right arm. He whipped his head to the side. The bark on the outside had blackened, likely from the flames he had barely avoided. It sizzled as little bubbles of water boiled to the surface. But the worst was the smoke that still smoldered, as if it could burst into flame at any second in the heat. In alarm he cried out and shook his arm around, pouring the last of his water out on the worst spot. Only once it quit smoking did he let out a shaky breath.

Too close.

"Link, you need to _leave,"_ Navi insisted again. "Your body isn't suited for this kind of environment. If you had stayed in there much longer, you would have burst into flames!"

"But I can't just go back," Link argued, shaking his head.

"But you _need_ to."

"No, I mean, I have to keep going, because I can't go back that way. What if I get locked in that lava room again? What if another lizard tries to ambush us?"

Navi considered it for a moment, then let out a sigh. "I suppose you're right about that… but I don't like it one bit. If we find a way out, you need to go leave, okay?"

Link said nothing in response, instead just standing up, stumbling slightly once he was on his feet.

"Link, are you okay?" Navi asked.

"...Just a little dizzy…" he responded, gaze down, before shaking his head to clear it and turning his attention to the fairy. "I'm fine. Come on, let's get moving. Maybe it will be cooler further down?"

Navi seemed unconvinced but fluttered on behind the boy anyways.

These tunnels were far less structured than the ones he had entered before, more naturally carved out, with no wooden or metal structure for support. From somewhere nearby echoed the slightest drip drop of a trickle of water.

The duo carried on in near silence, Links tired, heavy footsteps resounding in the dark cavern. One hand kept a tight grip his blade. The other felt carefully along the wall as he trekked on in the near darkness for some time.

Until the sound of something shuffling somewhere behind him made him freeze. He stood still for some time expecting something to jump him. But when nothing happened, and noise eventually settled into nothing, he slowly began to walk again. His feet shuffled a few feet further before one caught on something in the darkness, sending Link tumbling to the ground with a startled yelp.

He laid still for a moment, considering stopping to rest. Before Navi's cry of alarm made him scramble to his feet.

"Link! Get up! Run!"

He pushed himself back to his feet and whipped around to find Navi, finding her flying just behind him, face to face with a huge lizard creature staring the pair down. A huge lizard creature that looked none-so happy about being woken.

"What is that?" Link asked, beginning to reach for his sword.

"It's a dodongo!" Navi cried back, zipping to thump against his chest to try and get him moving. "Don't try to fight it, just go?"

"Why?"

Even as he asked, the creature began to breathe in. He took a couple stumbling steps backwards, then spun and stumbled off. The dodongo exhaled, and the floor he'd been standing in just a second prior erupted into a stream of fire. Link let out a cry of alarm and sped up.

Navi zipped ahead of him, lighting the way. When he looked back, he could see the beady eyes of the dodongo following behind him. Fortunately, it was much slower even than his exhausted form was.

He sprang over the form of another sleeping dodongo. Navi slowed to a stop a few dozen feet further ahead before zipping to the side, highlighting the form of a lever to open a door. Link wasted no time closing the last gap and grabbing hold, using every bit of strength he had to open the door, despite his injured arm's protests. As soon as it was open enough to slip through, he zipped by, not waiting to see if he was pursued.

When he could no longer hear the sound of the monsters pursuing him, only then did he stop to breathe. Only to look up in dismay as he looked around and realized he was right back where he had started early in the afternoon. Slowly, he sank to the ground. All that he'd done today had been for nothing!

Navi flitted about as she looked around the room. "This… Well, that was a waste of time," she sighed. "But… At least this will give us an opportunity to leave and go speak with Darunia again. Surely just opening the entrance up for them would be enough for him, right Link?"

"... Link?"

* * *

The brisk mountain air was eerily quiet as night fell. Unnaturally quiet. Perhaps an effect of the curse on the dodongo caverns. Or perhaps even the creatures that dwelled on the barren rocks sensed the tense atmosphere. Darunia shifted uneasily from foot to foot as other Gorons scurried about the cavern entrance in front of him, working to move and stabilize the debris and secure a safe opening. Others scurried about just inside, working to move the extra debris for use as makeshift ramps inside.

Oh, how he wanted to go barreling in immediately, and make sure the child was alright. But if he caused a collapse, it could trap both of them inside. And then it could take _hours_ to dig their way back out. And his people could be in danger if he were to be trapped for too long. No, the child may be brave, but he couldn't risk his people's survival to rush in like a hero. He would just need to wait a little longer.

Still, he couldn't help but worry about the child. A child who had been willing to throw himself into danger for people he barely knew, even if he did have his own motives behind it.

"Big Brother Darunia," one of the Gorons called out with a wave.

He Lumbered over to the worker. "Are we in the clear?"

The Goron averted his gaze. "... Yes… and no. The entrance is clear and stable, but the ramps aren't ready within the main hall. We're working to pat down the stone and earth, so it won't shift and fall apart under our weight."

Daruina was quiet for a moment, shifting his weight as he considered his options. And considered Link. Then he hoisted his great hammer over his shoulder as he began to make his way through the entrance.

"Time is of the essence. You said it should hold up for one leap? I'll just make sure I make it the first time."

He stopped near the edge of the metal bride, ignoring the slightly uncomfortable heat of the ground underneath his feet. Certainly, it was no danger to him or his people. But he was positive it was hotter than normal inside.

Time truly was of the essence.

He stepped back from the edge and took a moment to take in his surroundings. Near the back, he could make out the form of… something. But it certainly did not look like Link. He must have continued somewhere. But where…

A flicker of light caught his eye to the side. As he turned his head, he noticed a ball of light come darting from the northern portion of the room, making a beeline towards the entrance. As soon as it noticed him, however, it detoured towards him.

The boy's fairy friend, he realized with a sinking feeling. Alone.

He turned to face the tiny creature as she flew forward. Too fast, not stopping in time and bouncing against him.

"Daruina!" She shouted breathlessly. "Oh thank the goddesses. Please you must help. _Please._ "

Darunia held shifted his weight so that his hammer was in one hand, then offered a hand for her to rest on. "Slow down," he instructed. "Tell me what happened."

"It's Link!" she started, ignoring the resting spot. "He- He got overwhelmed by the heat, I think. He collapsed and passed out and I- think he's burned and I- I can't do anything!"

Darunia frowned grimly, moving to place his war-hammer on the ground slowly. "Take me to him."

Navi bobbed in agreement before zipping towards a ledge on the far side. Darunia paused, considering the best path of action. He could not leap across the gap to the ledge, and the bridge that would normally grant him passage was out. However, they _had_ set up the beginnings of the make shift ramp…

He took a few steps back, mentally considering his trajectory.

The fairy looped back around. "Hey, what are you doing! This is serious, you need to hurry!"

He led up a hand towards her. "Hush, little sister. I need to concentrate." Fists clenched, he took a deep breath before curling up into a tight ball, making sure to keep his limbs tucked in. Then he began to rock and build up momentum. Another deep breath as he reached deep inside of himself, focusing on the earthy magic that Gorons could learn with time and dedication. Then he charged, speeding towards the makeshift ramp as fast as he could muster. At the same time, he released the magic he had built up. As he neared the ramp, he reached a faster speed, spikes of rock, formed from magic, protruded from his body. He blazed up the ram and soared across the gap, crashing into the wall.

Navi hovered anxiously nearby as the Goron sat up and took a moment to brush himself off. No injuries. Good.

"Alright sis, just tell ol Darunia where to go."

* * *

 **A/N:** _This is probably one of the most challenging chapters I've written so far. For the sake of the story, I had to suspend disbelief and reality some. It's also been the most research-intensive chapter thus far, since I've had to take the time to look into the difference between how dry/aged wood burns vs fresh wood - which is the reason we're using as to why Link does not immediately burst into flame._

 _Currently, I estimate two chapters left in the Dodongo's cavern arc. The next one is about half written as of the time of posting. For more updates and information, be sure to check out windskull on tumblr._


	11. Skills Tested

_Skills Tested_

* * *

Everything felt numb and heavy. In some way, he was vaguely aware of being jostled. Words tried to cut through the fog, but only bits and pieces managed to seep through.

"...careful!...help..."

"Calm down...alive"

"But… Bad… He's…"

Huh... that sounded like Navi, Link thought to himself. He tried to respond to the broken voice, and he thought he even managed to open his mouth. But the fog overcame him, and he fell unconscious once more.

* * *

When he woke the second time, the voices were clearer. Still, his head swam and yearned for relief.

"I've sent for the potion maker in Kakariko," the first voice said.

"Will that help?" An anxious second voice responded.

"...don't know... best..."

Link attempted unsuccessfully to move and groaned as darkness overtook him once more.

* * *

He became aware of the dull ache and throbbing numbness before he even opened his eyes. He was horribly uncomfortable. At first his jumbled thoughts could not make sense of it. Had he forgotten to fix up his leaf pile? Had Skully put rocks in his bed? He shifted uncomfortably, attempting to stretch his fingers, and became aware of how heavy his body felt, like a weight pressing down on him. Odd…

Then more of what he had been doing before began to crawl back. That's right, he was helping the princess... no, right now he was helping the Gorons. He had gone into that terrible, sweltering cavern… And then?

His eyes shot open.

As his vision came to, slowly focusing, he found himself in a cave. But not the red hot of caverns he had passed out in, but rather the cool earthy tone of the Goron village. His hands scraped along a rough, flat wooden surface below him. A table, probably. He was on his back, a scratchy hand-woven blanket covering him from the shoulders-down. His body ached as he attempted to raise an arm, feeling like the weight of the world pinned him down. Then he noticed wthe white gauze wrapped around his arm. In a couple spots a few faint splotches of orange peeked through.

That's right, he had nearly caught fire… the fact that he had not must have been a miracle, considering the circumstances.

Slowly, he pushed and rolled himself to the side to get a better look at his surroundings. As far as he could gather, he was back in the room where he had spoken with Darunia previously. The room was now void of the Goron leader, however. In fact, he could not see any other occupants from his vantage point.

"What do you mean you can't help him?"

He could hear people nearby though.

"Just that," an unfamiliar voice responded with a huff. "I can administer a standard red potion when he wakes, but that's the most potent thing I have that might work on your friend."

"Darunia said you were a master potion brewer though," the first voice - which Link now realized was Navi – responded tensely. "Surely you must have something else that can help?"

"I'm sorry, but my stronger potions are much more specific," the woman grumbled. "I have potions and medicines that will help Hylians and Gorons, and even Zoras. But nothing for forest monsters. I don't have _any_ specialty medicines that work on _any_ monsters."

Link winced at the use of the word. Monster. Several times since he'd left the forest, the word had been used to describe him. And he had not really thought about how it affected him. On one hand, it technically was not wrong, was it? On the other, surely, he had more to him than a common brutish monster like a tektite or a deku baba. Was it really fair to group him with creatures like that? He was no different than a Kokiri!

Was he?

Agonizingly slowly, he began to push himself to a sitting position, wincing as he brushed his arm the wrong way and grunting with effort as he realized just how much weaker his right arm was at the moment. He could not help but pause to take a look at his arm. The bark had been blackened, and even cracked apart in spots, a mostly-dried sappy, amber ooze closing off the wounds. He was fortunate; if it had completely burst into flame, he could have lost his entire arm. Or worse.

As soon as he was in a sitting position, he quickly slid off the table. Perhaps a little too quickly, as the world seemed to spin for a moment, forcing him to lean back and grab hold of the table again to steady himself. Once he was sure of his footing though, he began to make his way towards the exit, using the tables and wall as a means of support.

His exit was slowed to a halt, however, as he the sound of rock grinding against rock sounded from behind him. Hesitantly, he turned his head to look to the back of the room, just in time to see Darunia pull himself out from behind the Goron statue at the center before pushing it back into place with little effort. The Goron took a minute to dust his hands off before turning, eyes widening with shock as he realized that his guest was awake and on the move.

"Hey slow down fella!" The Goron called out. "You're in no condition to be up and about yet!"

The Gorons' outburst was cause enough for the two outside to return to the room, Navi rushing in first, flitting to Link's side. The second person to enter was an elderly Hylian woman, her most distinguishing feature being her long, crooked nose.

Navi was the first to break the silence. "Link!" The fairy exclaimed. "Thank Farore you're alright! You've been out cold for almost two days!"

The light of Link's eyes squinted as he tilted his head in response to Navi.

"That's right," Darunia chimed in. "You passed out in the mines. We had to carry you back. And call for help when you didn't wake up." He gestured to the elderly lady standing by the doorway.

"We don't know if you were dehydrated or had a heatstroke, or something else entirely!" Navi butted back in with an anxious flutter. "No one knows how to treat you. So, all we could do is wait and hope that you woke up." She paused for a moment, starting to flutter towards Link, only to stop in her tracks as something occurred to her. "Oh, but you're awake now! We should give you one of those red potions. That should perk you up!"

The skull kid stared blankly at his fairy companion for a moment before the Hylian woman approached him. Her movement was slow and cautious, but methodical. He tensed, training his gaze on her hand as she reached into a bag at her hip, brandishing a glass bottle with a viscous red liquid inside. Slowly, carefully, she worked at the cork holding the liquid inside until it came loose with a pop. Then she held the bottle out to Link.

"Here," the woman grunted. "Drink. It's a red potion. It will make you feel better."

After gingerly shifting his weight to support himself with his injured arm, Link hesitantly reached out to take hold of the bottle with his good arm, taking a moment to slowly swirl it around and watch the red fluid jiggle; it was thicker than honey, but moved more freely than the sap inside him usually did. Then he brought it up to his mouth and tipped it until the potion began to drizzle into his mouth, almost gagging on the odd taste.

At first, nothing seemed different. Perhaps it did not work on skull kids after all? But as a moment passed, he began to feel a warm, tingling feeling spread through his body. Then his strength started to return, particularly in his burned arm.

A couple moments of silence passed as the trio gathered around Link expectantly. Until Navi finally spoke up.

"Well?" She asked quietly. "How do you feel?"

"Better," The boy murmured, eyes darting to the floor. Sitting the bottle aside for the woman to retrieve, he took to looking around for his goods: his bag, the pilfered shield, and his sword.

"Ah right," Daruina said. He moved to pick up a vase to the side of the table, pouring out a few rupees before passing them off to the old woman and sending her off with a wave.

"Thank you. If we need more, I'll send someone down for it."

"Of course," the woman responded with a grunt before disappearing out the doorway.

For a moment, Darunia was quiet, hand brought up to his chin in thought. But his contemplative state did not last for long.

"Briggs, brother, would you close the door?" He called out towards the room's exit. "I need to have a word with the kid.

Link turned to watch as the stone door that just days ago had blocked his progress slid shut, leaving him alone in the room with Darunia and Navi. At the sound of a sigh, he turned back to see Darunia with his head down, rubbing his temples with two of his fingers.

Despite the Goron's obvious exhaustion and frustration, Link had only one thing on his mind.

"Where is my stuff?" He asked bluntly.

"We'll talk about that later," Darunia responded with a wave of his free hand. "We got other things to discuss first."

When the only response was the tilt of the skull kid's head, and a curious jingle from Navi, the Goron leader let out a sigh and continued.

"First off, I want to thank you for what you've done for us Gorons. By clearing a path out to the eastern tunnels of our mines, you've given us a temporary reprieve from our starvation.

"...But I also need to apologize to you."

"You never should have gone in there, Link!" Navi interjected. "You could have died! Easily!"

Link winced in response before shaking his head. Navi's statement indeed rang true. And yet...

Before he could argue, however, Darunia chimed in. "The fairy has a point. I should not have sent you in there, kid." He let out a long breath, shaking his head. "Tonight, I'm doing what I should have in the first place: taking care of it myself."

Link stared blankly at the Goron for a moment before turning his gaze to do the same to Navi. "But... we need that stone. I said I would do it."

"And I appreciate your courage!" Darunia exclaimed quickly and perhaps a little too cheerfully. "But even so, you're in no condition to go back in there. Stay here, rest. If all goes well, I will give you the stone when I return."

Link gave the Goron a skeptical look. That seemed... too good to be true. He opened his mouth to say something, but Navi spoke up first.

"That sounds very reasonable, thank you." She dipped in the air as a sign of agreement before turning to Link. "Link, you should say thank you to Darunia."

Link did not say thank you. "But... I promised that I would help," he responded indignantly.

"Link!" Navi snapped in an exasperated tone. "You! Almost! Died! Do you _want_ to go back in there?"

Link sucked in a breath. "Not really, but I don't want to break my promise either."

"Then just let Darunia-"

 _"-really not let a diplomat inside?!"_

Navi cut off at the sounds of confrontation just outside.

"Big Brother is busy right now, you'll just have to wait your turn."

"Tell that lumbering- ngh. Tell your leader that we need to speak. _Immediately._ "

The door began to slide open, just enough for a Goron to stick his head in from the other side.

"Big brother!" The goron hissed in a tense tone, his fingers clenching around the edge of the door. "The Gerudo man is back!"

Darunia frowned and gave his head a shake. "Tell him I'll be right out."

The door was slid shut again.

"Kid, you need to stay in here. I need to go have an... adult conversation. We'll talk when I'm done."

"But-"

"Whatever you do," he continued in a quieter, but firm voice, "Do not let him see that stone. If he realizes that you have it, or that you came here for ours, he might do something to you. He might kill you or kidnap you. Do you understand?"

Link continued to stare stubbornly for a moment, before finally relenting and lowering his head with a frown and a frustrated sigh.

Satisfied, Darunia gave the boy a curt nod before passing, slipping out the stone door before closing it behind him, leaving it only a crack open - not nearly enough for the skull kid to sneak out. "Sorry!" He could hear the Goron call out. "I had gone to our temple in prayer for guidance from the goddesses."

Link was still for a moment as Navi flitted in to rest under his hat. Outside, he could hear Darunia giving orders to another Goron.

A mischievous smirk flickered onto Links face. He darted over to the door, just out of line of anyone's sight. But just close enough that he could make out what the voices on the other side were saying.

"Darunia." The stranger's voice was deep and suggested hints of frustration.

"Dragmire." Darunia's response was flat, unamused.

"Please, you can refer to me by my first name. Are we not allies?"

"...We are both allies of Hyrule, Gannondorf. Perhaps we would be closer if you gave our people a reason to be."

"I see you and your people finally cleared out that boulder from your mines."

"We have."

"But have you cleared the monsters that have come out from the depths."

A moment of hesitance. "Not yet."

"Then why not let me do that for you. After all, it would be a shame if our allies down the mountain were to meet with a terrible fate should the monsters their way out. All I require as payment is your spiritual stone."

" _Our_ spiritual stone is an heirloom, a gift passed down by the goddesses. A sign of trust and favor from Din herself. It's not something to just be given away or traded."

"Of course, of course. But it's not fair to ask for a favor so big for nothing."

"We never asked for your assistance."

The Gerudo grumbled something under his breath that Link could not make out before speaking louder. "That pride of yours could get you in trouble someday, you know."

"Let me worry about my pride, what help I accept is none of your business, Dragmire. Now if you'll excuse me. I am busy figuring out how to ration our latest yield from the mines."

"You'll regret this," Ganondorf warned. "You'll regret not accepting my help when you had the chance."

Darunia did not respond. From the sound of retreating footsteps and frustrated grumbling, Link assumed that the Gerudo had left. For now, at least.

A few minutes of tense silence passed with Link remaining in his spot beside the door. But when the rock suddenly began to shift and move, he scrambled back to his place by the tables, attempting to act nonchalant.

Darunia appeared more frazzled as he reentered the room, rubbing his temple with a long, exasperated sigh.

"Sorry about that kid," he started with a shake of his head. "Where were we?"

"We need to go back into the cavern."

Darunia shook his head. "Right… Wait, no that's not right! _I_ need to go to the cavern. You don't need to go back in there at all. This is my people's responsibility. You need rest."

"Of course," Navi added, bobbing in place. "We thank you for your hospitality, Darunia."

"Wait," Link protested, reaching an arm out. "But-"

"Just focus on recovering your strength. I'll hopefully be back by morning."

"Link, let's take this chance while we can-" Navi started to say, but she was cut as Link slammed his foot down in a single, sharp stomp.

"Stop making decisions for me!"

For a moment, the room grew eerily silent. Both Daruinia and Navi stared at Link for a moment, shocked.

Navi was the first to break the silence. "Link," she started gently. "We just want to make sure you stay safe. Darunia says that the caverns only get more perilous the deeper you go. If we had trouble this deep, then we have no business going any deeper. Besides, you're recovering from a burn injury and heat stroke. Just… take this chance to get some rest before we move on, alright?"

"It's not alright!" Link snapped. "I told you, I'm not some helpless Kokiri - I can take care of myself!" Spinning around on one foot, he began to march towards the door. "Where's my stuff? If you don't want to help me, I'll just have to keep going on my own."

"Link-" Navi started, but Darunia cut both her and her charge off.

"Now hold on just a minute you two."

Link paused half-way out the door, eying the Goron skeptically.

Darunia let out a long breath, choosing his words carefully. "I can't let you just go back in there after what already happened. At least... Not like this." When the skull kid tilted his head, Darunia slowly continued. "We… have something we sell to let Hylians survive in hot conditions that would usually kill them - it's a garb they usually use to travel into the temple we guard. If you're really set on helping… we can see about getting a set adjusted to fit you.

"However!" He continued, holding up an open hand before Link could say anything. "I do have a condition for this. Obviously, you're not in the best shape, and a red potion only heals so much." He began to make his way over to Link. "Back a little way outside our city, there's a cliff that you could should be able to find. From there, there's a path further up the mountain that leads to a fairy fountain. If you can reach the fountain in your current condition and return by sundown, I will take you with me into the caverns. But if you can't make it, or if you don't make it back here in time, then I will have to go on without you. With Dragmire skulking around, time is of the essence."

The Goron, now in front of the skull kid, stooped down and offered out a hand. "So, do we have a deal?"

Link stared at the hand offered out to him for a moment. On one hand, it could just be a way to keep him busy. On the other…

With a determined look in his eye, Link reached out, letting his hand be encased in Darunia's hand shake.

"Glad we could make an agreement," Darunia exclaimed with a hearty laugh. "Now go gather your things and stop by the shop on your way out. I look forward to seeing you tonight!"

Link gave him an excited nod before dashing off, leaving an exasperated Navi to trail behind.

"I _still_ don't think this is a good idea. I hope we don't regret this…"

* * *

A quick detour to pick up his equipment and a stop by the shop to be sized for a tunic later, Link was back outside, heading back down the mountain path with sure of himself gait. This time, the sun was bright overhead, casting early afternoon light. He went over the plan in his head. Head back to scale the cliff by the wooden pole, follow the path up to the fairy fountain. Bring back proof of his trip by sundown.

Silently, he considered his options. He could bring back water from the fountain, but technically he could get that anywhere – unless the water has special properties. He could try to bring back a fairy, but he had no place to keep hold of one, and catching a fairy with his bare hands is easier said than done. Plus, if he kept it in his hands, he wouldn't have a way to climb back down. Perhaps he could convince it to stay in his bag for a little bit?

Navi fluttered out of his hat, shaking him out of his thoughts.

"There it is."

Link looked up, noticing the scrap of fabric flying from a pole ahead. The trip this far had been fortunately uneventful; no monster ambushes had slowed his trip so far. He took off at a light jog, ignoring the slight pain of his jostled scrapes and bruises.

* * *

It was less a cliff, and more a sheer rockface dotted with smaller cliffs. Link immediately got to work climbing, jumping from cliff to cliff, making sure he judged his leaps carefully.

The top was just a little out of Link's reach, a little taller than he could stretch. To give himself the best chance, he took a moment to remove his oversized shield, tossing it over the top. Then, taking a few steps back, he sprang up, grabbing hold of the edge. His feet scrabbled against the side, trying to find a hold, while his injured arm screamed in protest. For a second, he thought he might not be able to keep his grip. But then his feet found a hold, and he scrambled up over the top, panting.

After a few seconds of recovery, he scooted away from the edge before standing up and pulling his shield back onto his back. Then he finally began his trip back up the path.

The ground around here was uneven, small holes and indentations spattered around the path, as well as a few moderately sized rocks and boulders here and there. The path forward dipped at first before heading up at a slight angle. Fortunately, falling to his death was not much of a worry, as both sides of the path were walled by dirt and stone. In the distance, he could see another wall at the end of the path, small cliffs jutting off in places.

Link groaned and began to make his way up the road, taking care to avoid holes and do his best not to trip on the uneven ground. For a while, he and Navi traveled in silence.

But the peace could not last forever. As they neared the half-way point, Link was brought to a stop as the ground seemed to rumble and shift below him.

"An… Earthquake?" Navi mumbled at first to herself as she flit around, until her attention was caught by smoke rising out of the top of the mountain. "No… It's going to blow now?"

The rumbling seemed to stop as soon as it started. Navi let out a sigh of relief before ducking under Link's hat. No, not yet.

"Keep going," she instructed the boy. Once he had begun to make his way up the path again, she continued. "Listen, Link. Death mountain is actually a volcano."

"Volcano?"

"Sometimes, it spews rocks and Lava from the top. It seems like it Might erupt soon. We need to try to finish here before it does, because it could get dangerous around here."

"It was already dangerous though," he pointed out.

"I know but… just trust me, you don't want to get hit by a flying rock."

Link responded with a grunt as he carefully stepped around a particularly deep crater in the path, continuing a few feet further before more rumbling forced him to have to stop and brace himself. More smoke was spewing out of the mountain top now. As soon as the tremors subsided, he continued with haste in his step.

The third tremor was the worst. He had nearly reached the cliff face by now, and could make out more details. Small ledges had been cut into the cliff face to give any would-be climbers a reasonable way up. But before he had a chance to close the gap, strong tremors made him lose his footing, sliding into a crater in the ground.

He looked up in alarm as the sound of an explosion rang out above, just in time to see a rock come whizzing by and hit the ground not far off. With a frightened cry, he sprang to his feet and scrambled out of the crater before taking off for shelter at the end of the path as fast as he could on the uneven ground. Sidled up against the rock face, he watched for a moment as several more rocks sailed by. Only when the coast appeared to be clear did he step out with a sigh of relief.

The sun had already started to dip in the sky. He had maybe a couple hours now before dark. With dismay, he realized it was unlikely he would make it as it was. But he could not turn back now, not when he was so close. After a moment to take a drink of water and asses his options he began his ascent, carefully grabbing hold of a ledge before lifting a foot and pulling himself up. Another ledge grabbed with his bad hand. He winced as he pulled up with his weight focused on that hand, sucking in a pained breath.

And so began his agonizingly slow ascent, shifting to climb as fast as possible when his weight was focused on his other limbs and carefully dragging himself up when he used his injured one. All the while, the sun continued its journey towards the horizon.

The sky was tinted orange by the time he dragged himself over the top. He laid still for a moment, until Navi poked out from his hat to check on him. Then he crawled away from the edge before standing up to take the view in. From here, he could see all the way down the mountain to Kakariko. And beyond the tree line, he could see Hyrule field beyond. Even the castle was a visible dot in the distance. He wondered what Zelda was up to now, and if she was as busy at work saving the world as he was.

But now was not the time to stand around staring, even if the sight was breathtaking. No, he had more important things to deal with. He turned his back on the view of the small bit of world he had explored and turned his attention to where he was now.

There were two entrances in front of him. Or at least, there appeared to be two. But the second one had suffered from a rockslide recently, from the look of things. Rocks of various sizes blocked the entrance, leaving only a thin crack at the top for air to pass through. Sat between the two was a sign, pointing towards the open entrance.

Link quickly nodded to himself before beginning to make his way towards the open entrance. But as he stepped into the shadow, Navi darted in front of him to stop him.

"Link wait, I don't think this is the right way." When Link tilted his head in response, she continued. "The sign back there says that this path leads into the mountain's crater. I don't think the fairy would make her home there, and it's not safe for you to enter."

Link paused for a moment before taking a few steps back. She was right; going into the crater would probably just lead to the same issues that he was already having. But what if she _was_ in there?

The sound of wings beating sounded behind, followed by something landing hard. Link turned to check the commotion, finding a bird had landed outside. A familiar bird, in fact. The same bird that had appeared to him back when he had left the forest.

"Kay… Kaepora Gaebora, right?" Navi started. The bird bobbed its head in response. "What are you doing here?"

"I've come to congratulate you," the bird started. "You've done well to come all the way up here. This is the summit of the sacred Death Mountain! It is said that the clouds surrounding this peak reflect the condition of Death Mountain. When they look normal, it is at peace."

The bird paused while link took a look up at the sky. The clouds seemed relatively normal, as far as he knew, other than the smoke still billowing out from almost just above them.

"That can't be all you were here for," Navi protested.

"How keen of you, my fairy friend," the bird responded with a ruffle of his feathers. "If I'm not mistaken, you two came up here to meet with the great fairy, did you not?"

Link nodded slowly. "How did you know?"

"Oh, it just made sense, my boy. After all, the only places here are the fairy fountain, and the entrance to the crater. I came because I want to see you make another smart move…"

"What's that supposed to mean?" Navi questioned.

"The Great Fairy lives that lives on this mountaintop should be able to grant you a new skill, or at least some sort of gift. But you may have noticed that the entrance is a bit hard to get into, hoo hoo! She is adamant that her visitors find their own way to reach her. I want to see what you do."

Link looked back to the blocked entrance with dismay. There were no bomb flowers around here to help him clear the way. And the small opening at the top was not nearly big enough for him to slip through. And if he tried to move the rocks, it could take too long, and then he would not make it back in time to leave with Darunia.

He could give up and return now. If he timed it right, he could possibly sneak in after Darunia had already entered. But then he would not have the tunic to protect him. Or he could attempt to get into the fountain, but even if he did manage to enter, it was unlikely he would do so in time.

He turned his back on the cliff. There was only one way he might be able to succeed.

He took a running leap at the pile of rocks, scrambling his way to the top. Once he felt steady enough on the top, he took to picking up or pushing the moderate sized rocks, throwing them down the pile. At the moment, the gap at the top was big enough that he could stick his arm all the way through, waving it in the empty air inside. A good twenty minutes of lifting and heaving more than doubled the gap, where he could almost fit his head through. He took a moment to catch his breath before going to work on a particularly large rock in his way.

With his shield sat aside and his back braced against the wall, Link began to push against it with his feet with as much strength as he could muster. The stone rocked precariously for a moment. But finally, the stone dislodged, rolling down the pile, sending pebbles tumbling down after it. Link, no longer held up between the two surfaces, fell with a startled cry, skidding halfway down the pile himself.

After only a second to groan and catch his breath, Link sat up before turning to look towards the hole.

"That should be enough," Navi mumbled, poking out from his hat.

Link gave a nod of agreement before crawling over to the entrance, afraid of slipping and falling down the pile. He sat down with legs dangling in the hole, took one last glance at the sun - now having begun to dip below the horizon, and slid down through the hole and into the room beyond.

The room was brighter than he would have expected. Though the entrance was dimly lit, the fountain at the end of the hall shone bright. A path of marble had been laid out, leading up to the fountain with water pooling on either side. Water flowed from somewhere above around the edges, filling the fountain and shallow pools on either side of the path before draining somewhere. On either side rose two short pillars, flame crackling at the top. Behind the waterfalls, light twinkled from glowing stones embedded into the walls around the fountain, giving the illusion of a starry sky.

Link slowly made his way up to the fountain, struck by its beauty. Navi, too, flew out from her resting place to admire the fountains pristine condition.

"This is so much nicer than the fountain back in the woods," she whispered breathlessly.

But despite the beauty, something seemed like it was missing. Something very important.

"But… where's the Great Fairy?"

Link came to a stop at the water's edge. Navi made a good point. Not only was the Great Fairy missing, but there were no fairies at all as far as he could see!

"Could something have happened to her?" Link asked.

"There's no way!" Navi exclaimed. "The Great Fairies are some of the strongest beings left in this world, second only to the Guardian Spirits. Nothing should be able to defeat them!"

"Ganondorf was able to kill the Deku Tree," Link pointed out with a sinking feeling.

The two stared at the pool with dismay. Were they really too late? Had they come this far only to fail?

"Well," Navi finally mumbled. "We could at least take some of the water back and see if that would be proof enough. If you're really sure about this."

Link mumbled an agreement before reaching to the side for his flask. As he looked down, however, something caught his eye in the flickering firelight. Something golden under his feet. He paused and took a few steps back to look at it curiously. Overlaid on the tiles was a design in gold. A square outline lined the edge. And in the middle…

"The… Triforce?" Link murmured.

Navi turned to take a closer look. "Hey, isn't this like the one we saw in Kakariko?"

Link suddenly perked up. It was! And if that was the case, then maybe…

He swapped the flask, replacing it with his ocarina. One note of practice, and then he played Zelda's Lullaby once again, letting the notes ring crisp and clear with an air of confidence.

As the song came to an end, echoing in the chamber, nothing seemed to happen at first. Link let out a sigh and returned the ocarina to his bag, starting to turn away.

Until feminine laughter from behind him made him turn back.

He stared at the water as started to bubble, until a single fairy burst from the water. At first, nothing seemed different. Then the fairy started to grow rapidly. A flash of light made Link shield his eyes.

As the light faded, he brought his arm down, mouth hanging open in a surprised gasp at the fairy that appeared before him.

The first thing he took note of were the three pigtails of bright pink hair, vines and flowers woven into the locks. Her body was clothed mostly by vines and leaves, woven and wrapping around her chest, torso, and upper legs. Her look was completed by brown stockings that rose to just over her knee.

The woman turned to float lazily in the air on her side.

"Welcome Link," the woman started in an airy voice. "I am the Great Fairy of Power."

"You… You know my name."

The woman gave an airy laugh. "Of course, young one. We, the Great Fairies, are gifted with knowledge beyond the comprehension of mortals. I knew your name just as surely as I knew you would one day come, requesting my help."

Link stared for a long moment. When he said nothing, the fairy continued.

"I would like to grant you a sword technique. Please, take off your shoes and step into the water."

Link was quick to do as instructed, sitting his boots to the side before wading into the pool until he was almost knee-deep. As he watched, the water began to turn green, tendrils snaking out from where he stood before diffusing into the water. He let out an alarmed squeak.

"Do not fear," the fairy said in a gentle, yet firm voice. "The water is responding to the latent magic inside you." She turned so that she was floating as if laying on her belly, lowering her body to be almost eye-level with Link. "You have a great forest magic within you. And yet, you have never been able to tap into it, have you?"

Link shook his head slowly. The magic his kind should have been able to use had never come easy to him. More than once, he had tried to teleport, or fade into the forest. He had come close once even! But he had never succeeded.

The fairy hummed in thought, bringing her hands up to her chin. "I may be able to help with that." She backed up for a moment, rubbing her hands together before blowing on them, a shower of powdery, sparkling dust fell onto Link.

"Receive it now!"

Link stared back up at the woman. Was… was that supposed to do something?

Then he felt it, like a little spark in his chest. He let out a gasp, bringing one hand up to grasp his tunic, feeling the rough barky texture beneath.

The fairy smiled faintly, reaching down to place a finger - nearly as big around as his palm - against his chest.

"I've ignited a spark of magic within you, young one. With it, you should have the potential to use my skill, and other magic for that matter. If you wish for help learning a skill, seek out my sisters. They may be able to help you unlock your potential."

Link stared for a second, considering what she said. "What about my sword skill?" he asked blunty.

"Link," Navi hissed, "Don't be rude!"

The Great Fairy, however, seemed to find it funny. Laughing as she returned to her original position, she waved her hand nonchalantly. "Think of your blade as an extension of your arm. If you focus your magic into your arm, you can channel it into your blade, and strike those that would harm you with more power."

Link slowly reached back to run his fingers along the hilt of his sword, considering her words. Would he really be able to do that?

While he silently considered his supposed new power, Navi remembered the reason they had arrived. "Wait, we still need proof that we came here!" She blurted out.

The Great Fariy tilted her head, smiling slightly. "Oh? I think I have something I can do for that. Hold out your injured arm."

Link hesitated before lowering his good arm, and stretching out the injured one to the fairy.

The woman made quick work of removing the injured arm's wrappings, taking care not to jostle it. For the first time, Link could see the extent of the damage. Much of the bark on his forearm had blackened, completely burned away in some spots. Amber sap had oozed out in some spots creating a sticky, but protective coat around the worst of his injury.

The woman took the arm in both hands, closing her eyes. A warm, gentle light formed between the two. Link watched as the injury was slowly replaced by fresh growth and the sap seemed to melt away, until his arm was just like he remembered.

The Great Fairy pulled away, returning to her resting position floating on her side.

"Link, what do you say?" Navi coaxed.

"Oh, thank you."

"Of course, young one," the fairy responded. "I will part ways with you now. But please remember, if battle ever makes you weary, you can always come back to see me."

Link gave her a firm nod. With his affirmation, the woman rose into the air, laughing, before shrinking back down to the size of a regular fairy. Then she was gone in a bright flash of light.

For a moment, Link stood in the water, staring at where the Great Fairy had been a moment before. Then he turned and stepped out of the fountain, shaking droplets of water from his legs before slipping his boots on and heading back out the way he had come.

Navi darted ahead, flying out of the hole in front of Link. The skull kid scrambled up behind her, climbing up the rocks and squeezing through the gap he had made earlier.

"Oh no!" He heard the fairy exclaim.

As he popped out, he looked in Navi's direction and realized with dismay that the sun had almost finished its trip below the horizon. He'd never make it back in time. He pulled himself up out of the hole, shoulders slumping as the realization hit him.

"Well…" Navi started slowly. "Look on the bright side? Sure, you won't make it back in time, but you won't have to put yourself in danger either. And you still will get the stone when Darunia returns."

Link shot the fairy a frustrated look. This again? Why couldn't she just choose a side? Preferably his!

He opened his mouth to say something, but the sound of ruffled feathers behind him caught his attention instead. He turned his head to see Kaepora Gaebora was still sitting on his perch, Link's Hylian shield at his feet.

"Why are you still here?" He asked.

The bird did not answer his question. "It looks like you've grown a little from the Great Fairy's power…"

"I don't think I can grow," Link countered.

"Maybe not physically. But in character, in spirit, your encounter has changed you. But you still don't really look like the hero who will save Hyrule. At least not yet!"

"How do you know that we're going to?" Navi questioned, having turned and landed on Link's shoulder.

"Call it intuition, if you wish," the bird answered cryptically. "Perhaps I'd like to help you. If you are going back down the mountain, I can lend you a wing."

"You'll… carry us down the mountain?" Navi asked, receiving a bobbing nod of the head from the bird.

"Actually, could you take us to the Goron City instead?"

"Of course I can!" The bird exclaimed. "Come here and grab my talons!"

Excited, Link raced forward to do as instructed, stopping to pick up his shield first. Maybe, if the pushed it, they might make it back after all.

"Hold on tight!"

* * *

The last slivers of sunlight were making their journey below the horizon, soon to be snuffed out by the darkness of night. At the entrance to the Goron City, Darunia stood waiting, watching for the boy's return. His hammer stood in front of him, his hands resting on the end of the handle.

The task he had given him was not impossible, but was indeed unlikely. His people had something of an honor code for defending the weak. Something he had failed to do when his emotions got the better of him. If the skull kid managed to come back in time, then he had proven his strength and skills. But if he failed to make it in time, then he was doing the boy a favor by keeping him from entering the most dangerous parts of the caverns.

Was he really doing the right thing, he wondered, agreeing to give him their sacred stone? He could not be certain. He could be lying, working with the Gerudo man in an attempt to bring his people to ruin. But he saw the spark of honesty in the child's eyes. And unlike Gannondorf, he had agreed to help first. No, he had chosen to trust him, and he would see that promise through.

As he looked back towards the last rays of light, a speck in the sky caught his eye. A speck that seemed to be growing bigger and bigger, until finally he could begin to make the details out.

The speck was a large bird, far bigger than any he had seen in the area. But the bird was not what really shocked him. Holding tight to the bird's talons, dangling in the air, was Link. The boy seemed to be holding on for dear life as the bird began it's descent, slowly circling lower and lower towards the ground at a slight angle. Until finally, they were right in front of Darunia. As soon as Link realized he was at ground level, he let go, landing on the rocks on his bottom with a wince. Once its rider was on the ground, the bird gave a hoot before climbing back into the air, flying back down towards the village at the mountain's base.

Darunia looked down on the boy with a slight smile. Well, he certainly had found friends in high places to return in time. But had he succeeded on his mission none the less.

"I believe I asked you for proof of your journey, kid," Darunia started without moving. "What can you show me?"

Link stared for a second, before Darunia's words registered. As soon as he realized what was being asked, he proudly held up his previously injured arm, which looked almost as if it had never been burnt in the first place.

Darunia's smile widened. There was only one thing he knew that Link could have done to heal that fast.

"Alright kid, I'm convinced. A promise is a promise. Let's get you suited up."

Lifting the war hammer up over his shoulder, Darunia turned and began to make his way back into the city. Link after dusting himself off, followed suit, leaving the darkness of night for the warm, inviting light of the city.

* * *

 **A/N:** _Some of you might be wondering why I chose to have Link visit the Great Fairy in between, instead of after the end of the dungeon. In short, I had planned to break up the action of Dodongo's Cavern with a chapter like this already. But originally, he was just going to convince Darunia to let him go with his words, or else be so stubborn that he chases after him into the mines. But honestly, I felt like it did not make for a very interesting or long chapter. And I felt like Link needed to do something to prove himself- both for himself and for Darunia. And the fairy fountain made for the perfect opportunity. Plus, i got to up the stakes a tad by having Ganondorf show up and be a bit menacing, so win-win._

 _Like I said when I started this fic, this is not a word for word adaptation. Some events shift around to fit the way the narrative changes. This is a great example of that, and there's more of it to come._


	12. Through Flames

**A/N:** _Some creative liberties were taken in this chapter, explanations are in the end notes._

* * *

 _Through Flames_

* * *

"Are you sure about this?"

"I've made up my mind, Navi. We've already been through this."

As the two waited for Darunia to finish speaking with another Goron by the mine entrance, Link shifted his weight from side to side, tugging at the sleeves of the undershirt he had been given. The modified tunic had been made to cover as much of his body as possible: off-white undershirt and tights had been paired with the crimson tunic itself. He had also been given a cap to swap out with his own usual one, a pair of gloves to protect his hands, and even a new, better set of boots to replace the worn ones. His old ragged outfit had been tightly folded and placed in the bottom of his sack, leaving enough space for his slingshot, ammo, the fairy ocarina, and at least a day's ration of food with just a bit of room to spare. His canteen had been strapped to his belt.

He took a moment to glance up at the rising moon, his mind wandering back to the forest. It had been almost two days now since he had last contacted his friends. Surely, they were getting worried for him. As much as he wanted to contact them, however, it would have to wait, as they were in a hurry now. Besides, Darunia had now finished whatever he had been speaking with the other Goron about and had made his way back over to the duo, hammer slung over his shoulder.

"My brothers in the mines spent the day setting up a shortcut so we can access the lower levels of the northern mines easier."

"Darunia talked it over while you were getting dressed," Navi started, turning her attention to her charge. "We came to the conclusion that the best way to tackle things is to take a path through the northern mines to clear out the main work area first so that the other Gorons can get to work, before heading into the depths to tackle whatever beast Ganon has conjured here."

Link gave the Goron leader an affirming nod as he adjusted his bag and shield. He would not let himself screw up this second chance.

The trio made their way through the entrance, passing a group of Gorons taking a break on their way back into the main chamber. Compared to how the room had been when Link had passed through before, the chamber was now a flurry of activity. The beamos that he had ran from had been dealt with; only a pile of smashed bits and parts remained. Metal slabs had been placed between the rock pillars, creating a temporary way across until the more permanent bridge could be rebuilt. And on either side, dirt and rock ramps had been built up and patted down to make accessing either side of the mine easier.

Darunia led the way, taking a sharp left down a ramp around the entrance and up a second one in the direction Link had not taken before. Link made a wide berth of the hot coals lining most of the floor, in no rush to check the limits of his tunic.

The trio followed the cliff up to the far side of the room, stopping once to let a crew of workers carrying a crate of stone through along the way. Despite the difference in size, Link found that he had little trouble keeping up; whether it was because Gorons were not fast on their feet or if Darunia was slowing down for him, he did not know.

At the end of the walkway, Darunia stopped in front of a metal door. For a second, he paused outside, tapping his foot as he considered how to approach the area ahead. He drummed his fingers on the lever beside the door before finally speaking up. "Alright kid. In the next room, I want you to climb up the stairs and check the upper level. I'm going to check another room on the bottom floor, I'll meet you at the top."

Link gave the Goron a nod as the door slid open. As soon as it had raised high enough, he dashed in, ducking to get in without a second thought. Navi zipped in after him, calling out his name.

"Link, _please_ don't just go rushing in like that! What if there are monsters inside? You could get hurt!"

Link gave the fairy a half-hearted shrug, a coy smile on his face. So what if there were enemies, he would just take them all out! As long as they didn't breathe fire. Or explode. Or really anything else that might send him up in flames.

While Navi let out an exasperated sigh behind him and Darunia stepped into the room, Link finally grew more serious and took a good look at his surroundings. Surprisingly, he could see roots and vines hanging down from the walkway above him. The walls had been lined with iron fencing and pillars - supporting the walkway above - and several metal crates lined the corner of the room. If he had to guess, he'd figure that this was some sort of storage. Regardless, the most distinguishable feature happened to be the stairs.

The stairway up to second floor had been created from huge stone slabs, each carved with the same intricate design. What struck him as odd, however was how tall they were, even for a Goron. The steps came up almost to his neck. And considering he came almost up to Darunia's chest, that had to make the blocks about half as tall as the Goron was! What was the point of such abnormally large stairs if even the Gorons would have trouble climbing them?

With the confused thoughts swirling in his mind, he began his ascent, reaching up to wrap his fingers around one of the indentations. Once secure, he lifted one leg over before pulling the rest of his body up onto the platform. Again. And again, a third time, and more until he finally reached the top of the stairs. From here, he took a glance around the upper level.

The upper level was even simpler than the lower one; only a single wood and metal walkway wrapped around the wall, no sort of guardrails protecting from falling to the level below. Link kept himself close to the wall as he began to work his way around.

"This seems really unsafe," Navi mumbled. "But I suppose Gorons don't have to worry as much about dying from a fall... Especially if they land on their back. I wonder-"

"Shh!"

Link held a hand up and waved it to silence the fairy as he slowed to a stop in the corner of the room. As Navi quieted herself, she quickly caught onto what Link was doing: listening to the skittering noise coming from up ahead.

Slowly, the skull kid began to inch forward, his hand reaching back for his sword at first. But as he grew closer it became apparent that the skittering was coming from somewhere above him, so he instead moved to retrieve his slingshot and a few deku seeds from his bag.

He came to a larger platform about half-way across the path, directly across from where he had ascended the stairs. Thin, dried roots and vines formed a curtain in front of him, stretching from the ceiling down to hang a bit below the walkway. And among these vines, he found the source of the skittering.

The skultulla was different from the ones he normally encountered back in the woods. Instead of the typical bone-white color, this one was a metallic gold, its exoskeleton glimmering in the light that he, Navi, and the dim torches in the corners of the room gave off.

Slowly, silently, steady, he raised his slingshot readying a shot, and released.

The seeds struck the spider-like creature directly on the face, catching the creature's attention. The skulltulla hissed and shrieked, turning around to focus all its eyes on the skull kid in front of it, who - after realizing how little his slingshot had done - fumbled for his sword.

He had expected the skulltulla to come down and rush at him, like many of the wall varieties did. But instead, it sprang from the vines, knocking him to the ground with a startled cry, his sword knocked away in the scuffle.

Link reached up to grab hold of the skulltullas abdomen, struggling to keep the monster away from his face as it struggled to push forward, fangs clicking menacingly. The skulltulla would push forward, inching closer to his face, and he'd push back, able to keep it away but unable to free himself. But slowly, the spider was winning.

In a panic, Link's leg jerked, knocking a knee into the monster. Again, the monster shrieked.

"Link! Do that again!"

Link let out a gasp before kicking upward, hoping to hit it again. His blow connected to the underbelly. As the skulltulla was knocked backwards, it managed to bite into his glove, pulling it loose as it was knocked away.

Link wasted no time scrambling to his feet, head whipping back and forth in search of his sword. There, just a few feet away! He dove, sliding to a stop with the sword in his hand, and rolled, barely avoiding another attack from the skulltulla, who had thrown his glove to the side letting out a frustrated hiss. It turned before rushing again.

This time, however, Link was better prepared. As it rushed at him, he hopped to the side before spinning to strike the spider between the abdomen and thorax.

The bug screeched as the attack cut deep into its flesh, green blood oozing out around the blade, sputtering as the wrenched the sword free. The skulltulla tried to drag its nearly-bisected body forward, reaching up a leg to attempt striking the skull kid even as it grew weaker.

Link let out a relieved sigh, took a few steps back - out of the creature's range - and turned his attention to the vines to their side, using them to wipe some of the blood off his blade. His gaze shifted to the side, the discarded glove catching his gaze. He moved to collect it as well. Surprising to Navi, he seemed shockingly undisturbed by the creature's death. Much less than he had the lizalfos the other day, at least.

As the sounds of the struggling monster quieted, Link finally turned his attention back. The golden skulltulla's remains laid crumpled in a small puddle of blood. Link cautiously inched towards the body, lightly poking at it with his boot. When it did not respond, he crouched down by the body, grabbed hold of one of the legs, placed one foot on the body, and tugged, ripping the leg free.

With his trophy obtained, the skull kid moved to sit down against the wall, waiting for Darunia to return.

Navi gave one last disgusted look at the bug's remains. "Well, that was a waste of time," she grumbled. "Don't you think Li-"

She cut off as she turned back towards Link, just in time to see the skulltulla leg hanging halfway out of his mouth. The light in his eyes flickered.

The skull kid ripped a chunk free before giving Navi a sheepish grin, mouth half full. The fairy fluttered erratically for a second before letting out a frustrated huff and fluttering to settle down on the skull kid's shoulder. Why couldn't the hero be some nice normal Kokiri kid, that usually listened to her advice and did _not_ find ways to get into trouble?

"So, insects are your kind's food of choice huh?"

Link's eyes flickered up to see Darunia making his way around the corner of the room. He gave the Goron a shrug and responded in a quiet voice. "Insects, nuts, and wild plants. Anything you can find out in the forest." He stuffed the remainder of his snack in his bag, before stretching and standing. He darted over to the arachnid's and make quick work of removing the rest of the legs for later snacks as well.

Darunia approached as he busied himself, inspecting the spider's body before stooping down to peel something from his abdomen's exoskeleton, handing the item to Link once he finished his chore.

"Here kid, I believe this belongs to you."

Link took the golden item and flipped it over in his hands. It had a skull-like appearance, complete with holes for the eye-sockets.

"What's this for?"

"Just something I thought you might want to keep. The Hylians have a story that says that you should always take those skull shaped plates after killing one of these things as a sign of bravery."

"Oh, I know that story," Navi chimed in. "The Kokiri believe in it too. They even say that if you have enough of them, they'll give you the power to break curses. I don't know how true that is, but it never hurts to keep it, right?

Link gave a smiling nod before stuffing the token into one of his new tunic's pockets. His attention then turned to the hall behind them, and the iron door at the end.

Darunia led the way through the walkway, pausing to tug the lever by the door, and immediately raised his hammer defensively as they passed through. Link, too, grabbed hold of his sword, before a hand blocked him from progressing.

"Hold up kid; look up there." Darunia tilted his head upwards. Link's gaze traveled with it. The ceiling almost seemed to be held up by a large white structure embedded into it and the walls. Eight curved spikes spread out from the central cylinder, tapering almost half-way down the wall. But the odd structure was not what Darunia was referring to; he could see two off-white keese hanging from the white… thing.

"Fire keese," Darunia muttered. "They'll light up if we disturb them. You a sharp shooter kid?"

Link's eyes darted between Darunia, his hand, and the keese hanging above them. But then his mouth twisted into a lopsided smirk. He quietly moved his hand to his bag, shifting items and skulltulla legs arounduntil he found his slingshot again. Wasting no time, he took hold of a handful of seeds, pulled back, and released with a sharp snap, hitting one of the bats.

The keese gave out a cry as it fell to the ground, unsuccessful in its attempts to right itself. The second one, now aware of the danger, took flight, flames rippling to light along its back. It flipped in air once before making a dive directly for Link. He winced and raised up the slingshot, planning to attack at the last second. But before he could, the keese was knocked out of the air by a heavy hit from Darunia's hammer. It let out a shrill cry before hitting the ground hard and did not get up.

Link turned his ammo instead on the one he had shot first - which had by now managed to take flight. It screeched when one of the pellets ripped a hole in its wing and turned tail.

"Do you think that might have been a little unfair?" Navi asked. "They're just bats."

Darunia huffed as he returned his hammer to his shoulder. "Maybe if the kid wasn't flamable."

"I thought that's what the tunic was for?!"

He waved a hand dismissively. "Of course it is, but I would think you of all people would want us to take things the safe way after last time. Keese are very territorial, you know."

Navi hummed in thought before conceding and diving into her resting place under Link's hat. His point was fair enough.

The point made, the trio continued through the room, leaving the wounded (and possibly dead) keese behind.

They continued on in silence through a walkway, Link darting ahead before turning back to wait for his companions, then doing it again a couple times more until they finally came out on a small cliff.

They had journeyed back into the main room yet again. But this time, they were high above the activity buzzing below. Gorons darted back and forth carrying crates. Some had been filled to the top, while others were totally empty. And a few were right in between. None had bothered to look up to see their leader and the skull kid watching them from above.

Darunia gave a satisfied nod after watching for a moment. His people would have food for a while, even if this trip were to end in failure.

He pointed to a cliff across the room, speaking quietly so as to not disturb the workers. "We keep heading forward for now. See that skull down there?" He turned to the other end of the room at a ninety degree angle to point at a jutting skull just visible in the room's haze.

"We need to open it. And the only way to do that is to access the other bridge."

Link turned his attention first to the skull, then to the bridge in front of it. Then to the bridge in front of them. It was… kind of flimsy looking, honestly; wood slats had been joined together by metal chains, suspended by the wall by more chains. There were no guard rails, and not enough space for even two people to walk side-by side.

"Goron's don't seem to worry about safety," Navi mumbled.

"To be fair," Darunia interjected. "We Gorons do not really have to worry about falling. A fall like that would be a few nasty scratches or maybe a burn at worst, if we fell in the coals."

"Are you sure about this Darunia?"

"Not really. But we have no time to waste!"

Navi sighed in response before ducking back into Link's hat, only to peek back out as she felt the skull kid cautiously move out onto the bridge. Still, she had the sense to stay quiet as he inched his way along, stealing cautionary glances at the ground far below between making sure his steps landed on the wooden slats.

He was about halfway across now, halfway to the safety of mostly-solid ground. Then the bridge rocked. He froze in place before slowly turning his head to look back to Darunia, who had taken a step onto the bridge, only to step back once he realized that the skull kid had stopped.

As soon as the swaying came to an end, Link darted along the rest of the bridge as quickly as he safely could. Darunia came along a moment later. The bridge rocking under him as he made his way along. His pace was in no way leisurely, but not rushed either. Just slow and steady. His footing was steady too, from years of experience in the mines.

A moment to rest and recover was given. But not a long one.

"C'mon," The Goron said with a quick huff. "We would do well to keep moving. Ganondorf could come back at any time. I can't risk my people's lives should he return while we're gone."

With a curt nod, Link let out a breath and followed the Goron on further into the cavern.

* * *

For a while, the trio continued their expedition into the caverns with little incident. Their route took them into through a room dug into a pit, rock pillars and walls creating narrow, twisted walkways. Some spots were straightforward, while others twisted back in on themselves. Even with Darunia's expertise, they still made a wrong turn once, leading to a tense backtrack as Darunia sped up their pace.

How long had they been down here already, with little to show? It could not have been more than an hour or two, could it? Out in the main chambers, the Gorons working would be keeping time by guards watching the sun, or perhaps an hourglass, or even one of the fancy clocks the hylians were so fond of. Most of the time, the Gorons worried little about keeping time, preferring to take life at a leisurely pace.

But work was an exception. And clearing their food source of monsters on a time limit was an exception. A few times, Link found himself having to run to keep up, much to his and Navi's surprise.

Eventually though, the ladder out of the hole was found, the team climbing out and scrambling on through the dungeon with a sense of urgency.

The hall beyond opened into a small chamber, a rock walkway leading to the other side, with shallow ditches on either side. Although it sounded simple in theory, there was one significant issue that kept the trio from advancing. Or rather, kept Link from advancing.

At the center of the walkway, a ring of fire blocked the path, bursting up from vents in the stone.

"A defense mechanism, my friend," Darunia explained. "We don't have to use it often, but it's meant to keep monsters that may have crawled up away from the main parts of the mine. Hold on, the shut-off's on the other side."

Link gave a nod to signify his understanding. Satisfied, the Goron took a moment to roll his shoulders, cracking his knuckles before dashing forward head-first, seemingly unaffected by the fire as he passed through it.

The skull kid was left to wait anxiously on the other side for a moment, nervously waiting for something to change. Then the sound of roaring flames died away; the fire itself died out shortly after. Link wasted no time darting across to catch up to Darunia, who stood at the end with a hand pressed against a switch.

At the end of the room, Link paused, noticing more of the white structures he had seen before. Navi poked out and, following his gaze, spoke up.

"What's with that anyways?"

Darunia followed their gaze to the ceiling, moving his hand away from the switch. The flames started back soon after. "Oh, those?" Darunia asked. "You hadn't noticed? Most of the Dodongo Caverns have been dug out around the remains of ancient Dodongos, from a time before the Hylians returned to the earth."

"Re…turned to earth?"

The Goron raised a brow. "You don't know the story? You seem to know so much Navi, I'm kind of surprised."

"I only know what the Deku Tree chose to share with me, I'm afraid."

"Well, that's quite alright. I'll tell you what I know." He began to walk, motioning for the duo to follow. "According to our people's legends, there was a time when Hylians did not rule the land. In fact, there were no Hylians in the whole world! They say they had disappeared centuries before."

"Really?" Navi asked, entranced. "Well, was there any truth to it?"

"The story goes that a pair of Hylians descended from the heavens. One, a goddess incarnate, hoping to restore her people. The other, a young man destined to become a hero looking for his friend." He paused for a second stopping in his tracks.

"What's wrong?"

"You know, it's an odd coincidence, kid," he started with a shake of his head before continuing his gait. "If I remember our oral history correctly, you actually share a name with the hero of the story. Link."

The skull kid paused for a minute, caught off guard, but shrugged and continued to follow behind.

"Anyways, after a long journey, and after the goddess and her chosen hero defeated a terrible, evil demon, they brought more Hylians down from their home, an island in the sky, and established the kingdom of Hyrule."

"That's… and interesting legend," Navi responded after pondering it for a moment. "But not entirely farfetched. The Deku Tree once told me that some Hylians believe that the Kokiri are just young Hylians that were spirited away by other forest dwellers. There may be some truth to it. I mean, it's not that outlandish to assume that some of the Kokiri may have been Hylians once upon a time, or that Hylians may have lived with the Kokiri at one time. But I find it hard to believe that they're all Hylians. I think that the Hylians might just be afraid of what they don't know."

Darunia chuckled. "Your thoughts aren't unfounded, my fairy friend. It sounds like the Kokiri have a lot of stories of their own. They should get really come out of the forest and tell their stories more."

"Oh, that might not be so easy," Nave responded. "The story goes that Kokiri will die if they leave the forest. But between you and me, I'm not so sure about that."

The Goron shrugged. "That's too bad. But maybe it's for the better. I don't know their history, after all."

The trio began their walk again, continuing in silence for a moment as they passed through a long, empty hallway. Darunia was first to break the silence.

"What about you kid. Got any stories about your kind?"

"Oh, um…" Link found himself suddenly shyer than usual around the adult. "I actually… don't spend a lot of time around the other skull kids usually. Just Skully."

"Well," Navi coaxed. "Has Skull Kid ever told you any stories?"

Link perked up a bit, "Oh, Skully has all sorts of stories." A pause, his brow knit as he chose his words. "I don't know if any of them are true."

"That's okay Link," Navi chimed in. "That's what's so special about legends. They may or may not be true, but they make for a fun story to tell."

"Yeah," Darunia agreed. "Why not tell us one?"

"Well…" Link started, looking away, and then back for a moment before letting out a breath of air.

"Okay. I really don't think this story is true but… Skully likes masks. He _really_ likes masks. One time, the Kokiri were making a play to celebrate the Deku Tree. One where they made their own painted masks, carved from the wood of fallen trees. Skully stole one of those masks, but Saria made him give it back, with the promise that he could have hers after the play."

"Oh, I remember that play," Navi chimed in. "And I remember the mask going missing. Mido was so upset that he turned red in the face. And Fado told him that it was a sign that the spirits of the Lost Woods were mad at him. So that was you guys that took it?"

"Well… Skull Kid took it, and he brought it to show me. And then he told me a story about humans, like the Hylians. About how somewhere out there, there was a group of humans that held a festival of masks, everyone bringing their own that they spent the year creating and perfecting.

"He claims that they think the masks will trick their goddess into thinking that the residents are all out working their fields until late into the night, so that she'll let them have a bountiful harvest. But he says that it's a load of hooey, and that their goddess is probably fake."

"It… really isn't nice to call someone's goddess fake," Navi sighed, before continuing. "I wonder where he even got that story? Hylians – let alone foreign humans – don't come through the forest often. And many that do never make it back out. Besides that, the Deku Tree never told me anything about a festival like that."

"I've never heard of any humans holding a festival of masks myself," Darunia chimed in. "Still, it sounds like the kid has an active imagination. Why do you guys call him Skull Kid anyways? Isn't that what you are, not your name?"

"Skully doesn't remember his name," Link responded. "And he never decided to give himself a new one. I just call him Skully."

"Isn't that a little weird though? Why would he just call himself Skull Kid? That would be like if my name was Goron."

Link shrugged. "He's been around for a long time. I guess it just stuck."

"Fair enough I guess," Navi mumbled.

As the trio finished rounding a corner, another door came into view. The group approached, Link nearly recoiling from the heat that radiated off of it.

Darunia paused at the lever by the door. "We'll try to pass through here quickly. This is the upper level of our biggest magma flow chamber. It's useful for farming fresh stone, but it would be best if we don't spend long in there for… obvious reasons."

Link gave him a nod of understanding, prompting Darunia to pull the lever.

The door groaned open with a blast of heat. Link winced at the blast of hot air, before his pride got the better of him. He clenched his fists and dashed into the room.

Rock platforms rose above the magma flowing below in this room, joined by metal platforms. Or at least, they looked like they used to, as a few still had them, but others had sharp, jagged metal edges on either side, and others had nothing entirely.

Darunia shut the door behind them, taking in the room's damage with a frown. "I'll have to send repair workers up here later. For now, we should-"

He was cut off by a shrill cry from above. The trio froze before all looking up at once. On the ceiling, hanging upside down and clinging to the rocks, were two lizalfos, each with their head tilted sideways, staring at the group below them.

Darunia stiffened, his grip on his war hammer tightening. Link slowly began to reach back for his sword, eyes watching the lizards cautiously.

"Whatever you do," Darunia muttered under his breath to the skull kid, "don't-KCH!"

Whatever advice Darunia was about to give, it was cut off as one of the lizalfos dropped from above, knocking him back against the wall. Rocks and pebbles rained down on the two from the impact.

Link's attention was drawn to the attack. He didn't have long to dwell on it, however. Navi called his name out of alarm, causing him to jump, but not in time to avoid being knocked to the ground by the second lizalfos, his sword clattering to a stop several feet away on the edge of the platform.

Jaws snapped dangerously close to his face as he panicked, trying unsuccessfully to knock the lizalfos pinning him down away. It drew back, maw opening wide as it sucked in a breath of air. He could almost swear he saw a glow emanating from the back of its throat.

For a second, he froze. The fire, he was going to burn. He was going to die here, and Saria and Skull Kid might never know what happened.

…

No, he could not give up now! Gritting his teeth, he struggled and shimmied and finally managed to wrench an arm free and swung blindly, slapping the lizalfos in the face.

The lizard recoiled, its fire breath going off in the wrong direction. The distraction gave him what he needed; he tensed, then kicked with both feet, the blow connecting with the lizalfos' exposed belly. His attacked knocked the lizalfos away, if only for a moment. But it gave him enough time to scramble to his feet, springing out of the way as the lizard charged him again.

Taking his eyes off the monster for only a split second, Link glanced over to where his sword had been knocked to, and made a dash for it, the Lizalfos turning and charging behind him.

He reached down as he ran, hands connecting with the hilt, the lizalfos gaining by the second. Sword now in hand, he jumped to the next platform before turning on his heel, raising the sword up just in time to defend as the lizalfos sprang, bringing a knife down on his blade. The force of the blow knocked Link off balance, and for a terrifying second, he feared that he was going to fall back, possibly into the lava.

The lizalfos lashed out again. Link ducked, barely avoiding the swipe. Then he sprang backwards a few inches, standing tall before springing forward again with a thrust of the blade.

His blow connected, a thin, shallow puncture wound on the lizalfos' stomach. It let out an unholy, angry screech before sucking in air again.

Link let out a cry of alarm and turned, jumping to the next platform as a burst of flames licked at where he had been standing a second ago.

He whipped around, glancing nervously at the lizalfos. The monster, realizing it had found a weakness, spat another burst of flame. Link turned and ducked behind his shield, waiting for the flames to stop. Hoping they would stop.

Across the room, he caught a glimpse of Darunia locked in battle as well. His lizalfos seemed worse for wear but was still standing. It would dash in, trying to strike at the Goron's softer, exposed belly. Darunia would raise his hammer with both hands, using the handle to knock the lizalfos back, and then try to swing back. But his movements were slower than the lizard, and it managed to dance out of the way before he could connect. So far, he had managed to protect his stomach, but several shallow cuts and scrapes lined his arms, blood slowly oozing.

Were they losing?

As soon as the flames stopped, Link sprang to his feet. The lizalfos was still on the other platform, content to attempt to blast him from its location. He had to try and stop it before it could attempt roasting him again. He turned and dashed forward, jumping at the edge with his sword held high, and came down with a two-handed blow.

He only managed to knock a nick in the monster's armor, leaving himself exposed. But on the other hand. He had managed to knock it off balance.

Swinging his sword in an upwards arc as he recovered, he turned and put some distance between them to buy him a few seconds. This time, the blow connected, a thin slice appearing across the monster's left cheek.

The monster let out a screech before charging again, knife raised high. Link ducked, covering himself with the shield, and felt a harsh blow along his back with a metallic clang.

He tightened his grip on his sword. What was it the fairy said?

 _Think of your blade as an extension of your arm. If you focus your magic into your arm, you can channel it into your blade, and strike those that would harm you with more power._

That might work! But… how does he access his magic?

He sprang up and scrambled, jumping to the next platform, then the next. He needed a minute to think. To breathe. The lizalfos let out an angry screech, eying him cautiously.

His sword… his arm… He sucked in a breath of air, thumb rubbing the swords hilt.

Skull Kid always told him to imagine his magic as something like honey, oozing through his body, slowly spreading through, enveloping him in his entirety. Teleportation required a concentration of magic throughout the body. But this.

He focused on his left arm, imagining honey flowing into it, strengthening it, protecting it. For a second, he swore he felt a small spark of energy.

The lizalfos charged.

No time left. He spun, swinging his sword in a wide arc around himself.

He hit something with his sword. Hard. Almost hard enough to wrench it free of his grip.

As he turned back to his opponent, he could see the deep gash he had inflicted on the lizalfos across the stomach. It let out a garbled cry before stumbling and lurching forward in a last-ditch effort to finish off the skull kid. He sidestepped just as it dove, barely avoiding the outstretched claws, and watched with some relief and some horror as it slid over the edge and into the lava below them.

He refused to watch as it let out a final, terrified, pained cry, before falling forever silent.

A distressed screech let out behind him.

Registering the unfamiliar voice, Link looked back only to see that the other lizalfos had stopped fighting, having watched its teammate fall to their death. At once, it turned its attention to him, giving a hateful gaze as its eyes narrowed into slits.

But just as it prepared to jump, Darunia bellowed out a war cry, and a blow from his hammer managed to connect to its side with enough force to send it flying across the room and over a cliff into the haze blocking the lower level from view. Distantly, Link could hear a Goron let out a startled yell.

Darunia turned to look at Link, seemingly undisturbed by the events that had just passed. He was not much worse for wear than he already had been when Link last saw him, wiping the back of his hand across his brow before hefting up his hammer once again and beginning to make his way to the other door, gesturing for Link to follow.

Link gave one last look in the direction the lizalfos had fallen, gagging at acrid smell of burning flesh, and quietly realizing how close he had come to having the same happen to him. Then he turned to follow after Darunia, suddenly even more eager to leave this death trap.

* * *

For some time after the fight, the trio's journey was uneventful. Almost quiet, even. They had traveled on through another room guarded by flames, stopping only after they reached the other side to check their wounds. Link had been fortunate enough to get out with little more than scrapes on his arms and upper back from when he had been knocked over. The only worse injuries were a couple of shallow punctures from the lizalfos' claws, sticky sap already covering and protecting the wound.

Darunia too, had been injured. But his wounds were not severe either. Several small cuts oozed along his arms, and a few more marred his face and shoulders. But each was treatable. They were dabbed with a red gelatinous poultice that Navi claimed was related to red potion, then the two fighters downed a shared red potion to help with their strength.

Then they were on the move again, traveling through the quiet tunnels in near silence.

This time, their journey was less jovial, much more tense. The close shave with the two lizards had reminded the group all too well of their morality.

"Dodongos would have made sense," Darunia had grunted, breaking the silence. "It's rare for them to come this far up, but they are native to this area, to the caverns. But lizalfos? They were driven to the other side of Death Mountain generations ago. To find more than one wandering the mines is no coincidence. Someone brought them here."

"Ganondorf," Navi had responded.

"I can't think of anyone else that could have done it," Darunia agreed.

Silence returned as the group continued on, Link trailing just a little behind, then running to catch up, then falling behind again, lost in thought. So lost, that he almost ran into Darunia's backside when the Goron came to a stop.

They were in a large room again, the one with the pillars they had been in before. But this time, they were crossing up on higher ground on a metal bridge. Darunia had paused, before continuing across and coming to a stop by an iron-lined entryway.

"Hold, on kid," he started. "I'm going to get something."

He leaned his hammer against the wall before grabbing hold of and hoisting himself up a ledge. There was a sound of things being shifted around. Then he returned, dusting himself off before depositing an odd, handmade leather-like sack into Link's hands.

"What's…"

"It's a bomb bag," Darunia explained before reaching for his hammer. "One of our finest types of crafts. Thought it might be useful." He began to walk through the hall, Link quickly following behind. "There should be five or so in there. They're a little bigger than your hand and can be lit without a match. We make those bags from dodongo stomachs, as they're surprisingly good at containing a blast."

Link paused to look inside the bag. Sure enough, there were a few inside, each an almost navy blue in color.

"Much more convenient than finding a bomb flower to use, don't you think?"

He nodded slowly before attaching the bag to his belt for later use.

With his new arsenal safely stowed away, Link scurried down the hall after Darunia.

They came out on a ledge lined by the ribs of an ancient dodongo, overlooking the main entrance they had come through before. Link took a moment to look down at the busy Gorons and the red-hot coals below before inching away from the ledge. Then he took note of the tablet in front of him.

"Navi?"

"Hold on Link, I'll read it for you."

The fairy crawled out from under Link's hat, fluttering closer to the stone. "Giant dead Dodongo… when it sees red, a new way to go will be open."

Link turned his gaze to the far side of the room. That did kind of look like a skull. He scurried down the walkway to get a better look.

There was another bridge down this way, hanging just over the skulls eyes.

"Oh, I get it!" Navi called out. "We're supposed to turn the eyes red. Maybe by dropping bombs in them?"

That made sense!

"Hold on!"

Link paused, hand half-way into the bag, as Darunia called out, catching up.

"There's no need for that. It wouldn't be safe to go dropping bombs while people are working, now is it?"

The skull kid considered for a moment before shrugging, eliciting a groan from Navi.

"No, Link. It is not safe nor polite to drop bombs on people."

Satisfied, Darunia turned to shout down to the workers below, cupping a hand over his mouth. "Hey, we could use a lift down!"

A couple of the Gorons stopped what they were doing, staring up at the trio for a moment before giving a friendly wave and rushing off to the side. Moments later, a small, metal container was hoisted up on a pulley. Darunia lifted Link up – though not without an indignant protest - and placed him in the box along with his hammer before giving the signal for him to be lowered down. Then he jumped down after the box, curling into a ball and hitting the ground with a thud, but no worse for the wear.

As soon as he brushed himself off, he began to give out orders. "We're headed into the depths! Brother Blugoro! Open up the dodongo's maw. Keep guards stationed outside; we don't know what's in there."

At once, the room was a flurry of activity - even more so than it already had been. Some Gorons continued what they had already been doing. While others busied themselves getting stationed in the middle of the room or scrambling about the sides. One went rolling across the hot coals to somewhere Link could not see. Then, after a few seconds, the skull's jaws began to creak open, a cloud of dust spreading into the air as it moved.

When the movement finally groaned to a halt, a path had been created by the skull's lower jaw, a doorway nestled into the wall beyond. Dauria took the first step onto the bone, before motioning for Link to follow, then continuing on to open the door. Link dashed to catch up, hurrying on through the door ahead of Darunia, his footfalls quick and light.

The room beyond was surprisingly plain; the floor and ceiling made of dug out stone, the only decoration being a few carved stones in the floor. Three other exits lined the room, two open and one sealed by a door.

"We haven't used this area in recent times," Darunia explained, headed for the closed door. "My brothers and I mostly use it for storage. However, our harvests have been poor this year, so there has been no need for the extended space, unfortunately. The other two paths just loop together, by the way."

Link nodded slowly, pretending to understand, but these were adult problems. Problems for non-forest dwellers. Things he had never needed to worry about.

The door slid open, bidding Link and Darunia to enter. The room beyond was similarly plain and empty, something that seemed to surprise Darunia. He began to slowly move into the room.

"This can't be it," he muttered under his breath. "There's no way that so many monsters would be active in the front but nothing back here…"

Then the ground creaked under him. Before he had a chance to register it, the rock beneath gave out.

Darunia let out a scream as he tumbled down to the depths below.

Link scrambled back as the ground crumbled beneath him, barely avoiding falling into the pit that had opened up int he centers of the room. Once the floor quit crumbling and the dust settled, he inched forward towards the hole on his hands and knees.

It was a straight drop from here, a rough hole in the center of the room leading down to a room below. The floor was not _too_ far away; he could make it without too much trouble if he jumped.

But the red glow made him nervous.

He could just barely make out the silhouette of Darunia climbing to his feet, groaning. He looked up, just barely able to make Link's glowing eyes out above him, and then froze when suddenly the ground seemed to rumble. Link clung to the edge as tightly as his fingers would allow.

"Link!" Darunia called without moving. "I need you to jump down here. Now."

The skull kid stared for a minute, bewildered, before his need to do what he promised struck. Slowly he backed away from the edge, before turning and easing himself down so that he was hanging off the edge, before finally letting go, hitting the ground with a tumble, holding tight to his hat. Navi fluttered down effortlessly behind him.

As he stood, he could now see that the glow in the middle came from a pool of lava, bubbles occasionally rolling to the top and popping, sending a small splatter of the molten rock flying. Honestly, he thought it the scariest thing in the room, although Darunia's eyes were on something else that probably should have scared him more.

At the far end of the room stood a blue-green scaly beast so large, so bulky, that it took up the entire walkway. Vibrant gemstone-like growths grew along its front shoulders, tapering off down the back. A single curved spike protruded from its head, with several more tapering down its spine. Its three-toed feed ended in long, wickedly curved claws, at least as long as his sword!

"A King Dodongo!" Darunia shouted back to Link. "This is far more dangerous than anything else you've fought so far, be careful kid!"

It began to lumber forward. Darunia lifted his hammer and planted its feet firmly in the ground.

Until it stopped, starting to suck in air.

The Goron's eyes widened. At once, he abandoned his position in favor of knocking Link to the ground and curling around him, the skull kid letting out a startled cry.

Flames licked around them seconds later.

Darunia grunted as flames licked at a more sensitive exposed spot, the blast seeming to last almost a minute before dying away. But as soon as it had, he hopped to his feet, turning back towards the beast with his hammer already raised. The dodongo too was ready, already lumbering closer once again.

"Kid, get back! That sword of yours won't do any good unless you manage to get under him. I'll try to distract him for you."

With only those words to go off of, the Goron ran charging forward with a battle cry, raising his hammer to swing with momentum behind it at the king dodongo's face.

Link backed away a little with his hand on his blade's hilt, watching as the fight unfolded in front of him. Darunia would go in for a blow, then roll out of the way just in time to avoid the claws that swept at where he had just been. His movements were surprisingly fluid for someone his size, signs of a life of training and fighting.

But he still did not have an opening to strike himself. And most of the Goron's blows seemed to not even phase the dodongo.

The dodongo caught sight of him.

Link froze as the dodongo ignored another blow from Darunia, instead turning its attention to the smaller, wooden kid staring at him from across the room.

"Oh no."

Link turned and bolted down the walkway as he noticed the Dodongo begin to suck in air again.

Fortunately, Darunia noticed too, and managed to interrupt the attack with a swift blow to the monster's jaw.

This was no good, Link realized with dismay. The dodongo had him on the run, and was barely bothered by Darunia's attacks, despite the power behind them.

Even Navi seemed at a loss for the moment. "There has to be something we can do!" She cried out.

Link grit his teeth and clenched his sword as he began to carefully inch his way back towards the fight.

An attack of Darunia's missed. As he attempted to regain his footing, he was swatted, sent arcing through the air.

Now the dodongo's eyes were on Link. But it did not open its maw to breathe fire on him this time. Instead, it began to… curl into a ball?

"Run!"

Navi's call made Link flinch before turning to dart away. Behind him, the Dodongo had begun to roll towards him, far faster than it had walked before. Link could feel it gaining on him as he turned a sharp corner and kept running. The dodongo, too, turned, continuing its pursuit.

Link swore he could feel the monster right on his heels as he continued to run, rounding another corner sharply at the last second, diving to avoid being rolled over.

This time, however, the dodongo did not turn in time, sending it crashing into the wall. With it winded for a moment, Link scrambled to his feet, finally having a chance to charge in and jab it once. It let out a pained howl before climbing to its feet, forcing Link to retreat.

Darunia was back on his feet now, rushing the beast from the other side with a yell, slamming his hammer down on its tail.

"We can't bet on that working a second time!" Navi shouted to Link, fluttering to catch up to him. "We need another plan, and fast."

Link gave the fairy a nod, and began to dash towards the monster again, when he suddenly stopped as he felt his bomb bag slap against his leg, and an idea overcame him.

"I have an Idea!" He shouted before dashing off with his sword in one hand, and his other dipped into the bag.

The dodongo had turned around to face Darunia directly, continuing to swipe and snap at the Goron as he danced just out of range. Link ducked and ran under the monster's belly, jabbing it on the way across to draw its attention, then rolling out from underneath, springing to his feet just out of the monster's range.

The king dodongo roared in anger and in pain, gaze set on the skull kid. Darunia took notice and turned to shout to Link. "Get back!"

Link did not retreat. Though he did sheathe his sword. The dodongo began to suck in air. Darunia rolled forward and attempted to dive in front of Link, but the skull kid sprang out of the way, pulling one of the bombs from his bag. He yanked the string from the top of the device, then immediately hurled it into the beast's mouth with as much force as he could, and dove.

The monster gagged, its attack interrupted, and then suddenly shrieked and fell as the bomb went off inside. At once, Link sprang to his feet and dashed forward, reaching for his sword, and began to hack and slash at the dodongo's throat. Darunia, catching on, followed up, delivering a crushing blow to the beast's windpipe with his hammer.

The monster screamed and thrashed. One of the blows caught Darunia, knocking him back with a nasty gash in his arm. Another hit Link, sending him flying across the room, his sword wrenched free of his grip. He hit the ground hard, the wind knocked from him. He was vaguely aware of a cut in his thigh oozing sap, a hole ripped through his pants. For a several seconds he laid still, dazed and groaning, trying to will himself to move. But finally, he pulled himself to his feet and limped over to where Darunia had landed, also disarmed.

"How many… more times…" he rasped, hoping Darunia would catch what he meant.

"I think we may have got it, look." He pointed to where the dodongo had finally climbed to his feet. It tried to roar, letting out what sounded more like a choked cry, and curled as if planning to roll into them again. Link tensed, uncertain as to if he'd be able to outrun the monster this time.

But as it tried to charge at them, the monster's roll faltered, and instead of rolling towards them, it veered into the lava, sending flecks of molten rock flying before it finally dropped on the edge of the pool. It let out a final shriek, then stilled, leaving the two fighters breathing heavily in the silence.

Darunia was the first to break it, letting out an excited whoop and raising his fist in the air. Link found himself letting out laughter of relief and joy in the same spirit of celebration.

But finally, the moment of victory subsided, leaving the injured pair to go about and collect their weapons. Still, there was a bit of joy in the air, the high of a close shave victory.

Until Link realized something, voicing his concerns to his fairy.

"We won… But…" Link began, tilting his head towards the celling, towards the hole in the roof. "How do we get back up there?"

"I don't think we'll have to worry about that," Navi responded. "If this is the work of Gannondorf, like the Deku Tree, then I think we might be able to get out the same way we did there."

"Warping?"

"That's right." Navi bobbed up and down twice before turning back towards the dodongo's remains. "And there's our way out now." Just beyond the body, a small circle of light had formed, just like the one in the Deku Tree.

Wasting no time and in a hurry to get out of the fiery depths, Link, waved Darunia over to the spot before limping ahead into the light, relaxing as the warm, cozy feeling of being transported out enveloped him.

* * *

 _Notes regarding creative liberties:_

 _\- Although the lizalfos in Ocarina of Time cannot breathe fire, there are lizalfos in other games that can, so I chose to have the lizalfos in this story have that ability_

 _\- I wrote the group discussion stories to break up the action a little and to try to get a bit of the other game's lore in the story. Darunia's story obviously comes from Skyward Sword, where as Navi's story is loosely based on the explanation for Kokiri from the Zelda Encyclopedia, albeit told as a legend or theory rather than as fact. Link's story is similarly based on the story of the Carnival of Time from Majora's Mask, as retold by Skull Kid with some parts mixed up or just plain incorrect._

 _\- The line regarding how bombs work come from me trying to figure out a way they could work without being lit._

 _I feel like I may not have captured Darunia's voice and character as well in this chapter, so it may be edited more at a later date. That said, I wanted to get this chapter out since it had been finished other than editing for almost 2 months._


	13. On the Horizon

**A/N:** _Before we start this chapter there's a few things I want to mention. First of all, it is important to note that from this chapter through the remainder of the "child arc" had a major restructuring half-way through writing this chapter. As a result, it may be a bit short in comparison to others, but I think the story comes out stronger as a result. Second, you might notice that there are some inconsistancies regarding capitalization between chapters. This is due to some internal debate over whether certain things, such as "goron" should be capitalized. Nintendo capitalizes it, but more than likely that is due to the nature of trademarks and other copyright stuff. I have decided to not capitalize these nouns going forward (i.e. hylian, zora, kokiri, etc), but have not had time to go back and edit previous chapters. I will eventually._

* * *

 _~On the Horizon~_

* * *

As the blue-white light faded away, Link found himself surrounded by stone and dirt, the sun beginning it's climb in the sky. He glanced behind him. The warp had deposited him back outside the entrance to Dodongo's Cavern. He looked back in front of him catching sight of a goron staring at him incredulously.

The goron jabbed a chubby finger at the skull kid. "You just sort of. Appeared out of nowhere!" He exclaimed.

Link giggled impishly, bringing his arms back behind his head. "Yeah? Yeah! I did, didn't I!" He rocked up on his toes up, practically bouncing with amusement from the goron's astonishment.

His excitement was cut off by the sound of Darunia clearing his throat. He, too, had returned from the cavern depths in a flash of cool light, dusting himself off as he tried to make sense of the time. But before long, a big grin spread across his face. He reached a hand - nearly as big as Link's head - down to give the skull kid a rough noogie. "Ha ha! We did it kiddo!"

Link let out a squeak as the goron then gave him a hearty pat on the back. Hard enough to cause him to stumble and fall from the force. If Darunia noticed, he said nothing, focused instead on laughter and what else he had to say.

"My people will be able to fill themselves on the rocks from the cavern till our stomach's burst! No more starving! And it's all thanks to you kid!"

Link slowly climbed back to his feet, laughing nervously as he rubbed the back of his head. "Well-"

"What a wild adventure this was! It'll make an incredible story!" Without warning, the goron scooped him up into a tight hug. A hug so tight that for a moment, Link was certain that his barky skin would break open. "Oh! You know what? That gives me an idea. I think this calls for a celebration!"

He dropped the skull kid, his attention to the other goron. "Hey! Gormi, my brother! Head back to the city, start making arrangements immediately!"

"What?"

"Go, tell everyone to get ready! Link and me are sworn brothers now!"

"We are?"

"Of course! And though there's no need for a ceremony, I think our exploits call for a celebration!"

* * *

Goron parties were… an experience.

It seemed like the entire city had come out of whatever holes they were hiding in. Even more gorons were gathered than when he had performed music days ago. Huh, it had been several days now, hadn't it? Link had now discovered the use for the huge base at the bottom of the pit; young gorons were making a dangerous game of trying to toss small bomb flowers inside. On the middle level, a feast was under way, only the finest cuts of rock laid out for any goron to take. Link had to politely decline offers of the stone multiple times, sticking to his skultulla legs he had harvested before and bread.

Several times he'd had to wiggle his way out of bone crushing hugs now, or stumbled from a hard, friendly pat on the back. Despite all the excitement around him, Link felt… tired. And as the day wore on, he found himself desperate to get away from the festivities for a bit. He made his way around the edges of the walkway, climbing higher and higher until he finally found one tunnel near the top that appeared to be quiet and empty.

As he made his way deeper into the dim tunnel, he reached a hand into his bag until his hand brushed against what he was looking for: the fairy ocarina. He rubbed a finger against the wood, thinking about the notes to Saria's song in his head. A sigh escaped his mouth. In the excitement of the last few days, he had only just realized how long it had been since he'd contacted his friends back in the forest. He leaned back against the wall and brought the instrument up to his mouth, blowing into it as quietly as possible in hopes of not attracting any more attention. Navi poked out from underneath his hat, speaking in a groggy voice.

"Is the party over already…?"

For a moment after he finished the song, it was silent, not a peep of sound entering his mind. Fingers tapped anxiously across the woodgrain. Did he maybe play the song wrong?

But just as he was bringing the ocarina back up again, Saria's voice spoke out in his mind.

"Link? Are you still there?"

The skull kid smiled. "Yeah. Yeah, I'm here."

"Oh good," the fairy girl's voice said. "Sorry, I was in the middle of something and had to go somewhere quieter. I'm so glad to hear from you again. Is everything okay? It's been days since you last contacted us, we were getting worried! Skull Kid was about ready to come looking for you, I swear."

"Oh, um, everything's gone great," Link fibbed. "Absolutely perfect. In fact, we should be getting the second stone any time now."

"Really? That's great Link! The goron one, right? That means you only need one more?"

Link nodded. Then, realizing that Saria would not be able to see it, he let out a little "mhm." He paused for a moment before continuing with his own question. "Do you… do you have any idea where the last one might be?"

There was a moment of silence in his head. "I think the Deku Tree might have mentioned it to me once. You have the Forest Stone and the Fire Stone, right?"

"Uh-huh."

"So that would leave the Spiritual Stone of Water… I know, it must have been with the zoras."

"The… what?"

"They're a race of fish people. I can't tell you exactly where to go but… if you look for sources of water, you might be able to find something."

"That… makes sense I guess," Link said with a nod. His voice grew quieter.

"Are you okay?" Saria asked, sensing his hesitation.

"Oh, I'm fine. Just… I was wondering where Skully was."

"Ah, I see. He's hanging out in the woods. Or at least… I hope he's hanging out in the woods. He-" She cut off suddenly. Link really wished he could see what was going on right now.

"... He isn't waiting in the woods. I need to go, Link, before someone gets bitten by a skulltula that _someone_ just released in the middle of the Kokiri Forest clearing. Check back with us soon, alright?"

"Mhm."

Link lifted away one of his hands, using the other to put the ocarina back in his bag. He stood still for a moment, staring down at the bag.

His hesitation did not go unnoticed by Navi. The fairy fluttered down from his head and into his line of sight, making a slow, concerned tinkling noise. "Link, are you sure you're okay?"

"I'm fine," the skull kid insisted.

"You don't sound fine."

For a second, the boy's fingers twitched, the glow of his eyes wavering ever so slightly. But the moment passed as quickly as it had begun. He let out a sigh. "I'm… fine, really."

Before Navi could protest further, he put on a smile, took a deep breath, and began to walk back outside into the noise, quietly avoiding the few gorons still on the upper level until he reached the outer edges of the walkway, looking down into the city's center pit.

Most of the gorons were further down in the lower rings now, heavily invested in whatever the game the gorons were playing with vase was or feasting. Link took a moment to watch the excitement, the kinship that the rock-like beings shared with each other. The smallest of frowns crossed his face. Just a few days ago, he had been so excited to play music with the gorons. But now, something felt off. It kind of reminded him of the kinship he had with Skully, he supposed, but at the same time…

A strong hand taking hold of his shoulder snapped him out of his thoughts. He let out a surprised yelp, turning his head to see Darunia just behind him with one hand on his shoulder, and the other behind his back.

The goron leader let out a hearty laugh. "Woah-ho! Easy there, brother! It's just me. Thought I saw you up here. Here, walk with me." He began to make for the exit, leaving Link to follow.

The two stopped just a little way outside. The sun was high in the sky now, mid-afternoon light casting small shadows among the cliffs. Few, wispy clouds dotted the sky, but thicker grey clouds were moving in on the horizon. Link turned to look back to Darunia. Before he could ask any questions, however, the goron held out his hand.

"Figured you might be getting ready to head out, brother. I thought I'd see you off, and make sure you didn't forget _something_ important." He opened his hand. Sitting in his palm was a red jewel cut in a pentagon shape, set deep into a golden bezel. Its facets glinted in the bright sunlight.

Link carefully took the gem in both hands, turning it over to give the precious stone a thorough look over. While he did his inspection, Daruina continued. "I hope this helps you out on your quest, kid. You take that stone and do what you need to. Just make sure to bring it back next time you visit, alright?"

Despite the troubled thoughts on his mind, Link gave the smallest of smiles and a nod. "Of course," he replied quietly.

Navi fluttered in front of Link. "Thank you, Darunia, for trusting us with this. We will be certain to take good care of it and return it as soon as possible. We wish you and your tribe well, and I will pray to the goddesses for your continued prosperity."

She turned to Link next. "Come on Link, we've got no time to lose. All we have left is the Spiritual Stone of Water to collect. Do you have a clue of where we need to go?"

The skull kid nodded. "Mhm… Saria said to look for water sources - that it belongs to the zoras."

"Zoras, eh?" Darunia cut in." If you head back through Kakariko and follow the river outside of the village against its flow, you'll eventually reach zora's domain. Heh, haven't talked to those fellas in a while. I wonder how their king is doing these days."

Oh, that's helpful. Thanks so much Darunia!"

"Anytime. You two be careful now, and steer clear of that gerudo man!"

Link gave a firm nod, smiling as he turned away. "We will!" With that, he took a second to wave to the goron, and took off on the path down the mountain that he had traveled just days before.

* * *

Clouds had fully blotted out the setting sun by the time Link reached the base of the mountain. On top of the quickly darkening sky, a heavy drizzle had started. A roll of distant thunder shook the skull kid out of his thoughts. He paused just past the gates of Kakariko to squeeze a bit of water from his tunic. The goron tunic may have been fire-proof, and magically protected him from the flames and heat of Dodongo's Cavern, but it failed to keep from being soaked to the core.

The guard at the Kakariko gate gave him nary a glance as he passed back through, wordlessly opening it to allow him passage. Between the armor and the rain masking the scents of everything around him, he could not tell if it was the same one that had let him through before.

"I think we should find somewhere to rest for the night," Navi mumbled quietly from under Link's hat, breaking the silence.

"But I'm not tired," Link protested.

"I know," she said, "but it looks like the weather is going to get worse, and I'd hate for us to get caught up in this storm. There must be somewhere we can shelter for the night at least."

The skull kid tilted his head up, tapping his chin. "Wasn't there a cucco coop back near the graveyard? I could sleep there!"

"I was thinking more along the lines of one of these houses, actually."

Link paused, glancing over the wood and brink structures. "I dunno…"

"It would be much safer than some cucco coop," Navi goaded. "Warm and dry and sturdy. I'm sure there's someone that will let you stay. Come now, we have no time to waste if we're going to find a place before the storm worsens. Maybe the potion shop lady will let us stay, remember her?" Without waiting for an answer, she zipped out from the hat.

"Come on it's this way." She began to fly ahead, leaving Link no choice but to follow if he wanted out of the rain.

The fairy led him down the stairs and around several buildings to a fence. Besides the guard, everyone had taken shelter from the rain already, leaving the small village eerily empty.

"Wait here Link," Navi said. "I'll find an entrance."

"No need," The skull kid replied. With a quick adjustment of his bag and a running start, he scrambled up and over the fence, landing neatly on the other side.

"That works too…" Navi mumbled. Then she continued in a louder voice. "Don't do that again. This is trespassing."

"What's trespassing?"

"You know, climbing into other people's property. The kokiri may not care too much so long as you don't bother their personal belongings, but most hylians do."

"Oh, okay."

The fairy let out a sigh before continuing on, flying up a small brick wall. Link went around the stairs to the side. By the time he had reached the top Navi had already turned from the door with a huff.

"Never mind, its closed. She's not here."

"Oh." Link began to reach for the door anyways.

"Link, no!"

"What now?"

"You can't go into someone's home if they're not here. That's trespassing too! Come on let's find somewhere else."

The skull kid let out a huff but did not argue. He followed the fairy around but stopped short of the fence. Navi flew through the holes between posts.

"Come on now."

"You told me not to do that again. It's trespassing."

Navi let out a sigh. "Oh, for the love of Farore…" She mumbled. "Link, she continued in a louder tone, "it's trespassing to go into their property. Leaving somewhere you're trespassing into in the first place is the opposite of trespassing."

Link stared for several seconds before finally shrugging and scaling the fence just as he had before.

"That's better, now come on, there was house on the other side, we can try there."

Once again, the fairy led him around a corner to a different door, pounding against it a couple times to knock before the skull kid arrived.

A large, surly man in an open blue vest and green pants answered the door. He stared down at the fairy and skull kid incredulously.

"Hi," Navi started in a friendly tone. "We were just passing through and were wondering if we could stay here for the night to get out of the storm."

The man stared at them for a moment, frozen with eyes locked on the kid's eerie, unblinking, glowing eyes, then quickly looked back towards someone they couldn't see.

"Sorry, we're all out of space," he said quickly before nearly slamming the door. Navi swore she heard the click of a lock afterwards.

"Not so trusting after dark, are they?" she said quietly. "Sorry Link, we'll try somewhere else.

The two were off once again. The next door they tried was already locked, thought the boarded-up windows and numerous flyers around the door suggested that the house had been abandoned for some time. By now, it was all but pouring rain, with the occasional flash of lighting or roll of thunder.

"I still think we could try the cucco hut," Link suggested.

"No, no that's a bad idea."

"Why?"

"Well…" Navi began, trying to think of a delicate way to approach the subject, while still being truthful "Because… well, based on that other house's reaction, the villagers probably would think you were going to hurt their cuccos."

"That's silly, sure I could shoot them with a slingshot, and it would be funny to watch, but why would I make someone I'm staying with mad?"

"That's not it," Navi replied in a tired tone. "It's more that they would… well… probably think that you were hurting them because… Because they probably think of you as a monster, like the stalchildren or a lizalfos."

The skull kid faltered for a moment. "Oh, right."

"B-but that doesn't mean everyone will," she added quickly. "Come on, let's try another house. I'm sure there's someone hospitable… Oh look, I think I see a guard over there. Maybe they can help us."

The fairy turned and fluttered back ahead. Link followed at a slower, more cautious pace, suddenly feeling much more vulnerable after his talk with Navi. He thought back to the guards at the castle. He thought back to Darunia. The goron had said he was angry because the royal family had sent him a kid but… was there more to it? He thought back to the conversation he overheard between Navi and the potion woman. The woman had called him a monster then… And Navi had never protested, had she?

A grim thought popped into his head.

… Did Navi view him as a monster too?

He nearly jumped out of his bark when a loud crash of thunder shook him out of his thoughts. He could dwell on it later. For now, shelter.

He scurried to catch up to Navi, who had already reached the guard and was explaining their predicament.

"... so please, is there any chance you can provide us with a place to stay?"

The man looked over the fairy, then over to Link, who had just arrived.

"Well…"

Link heard footsteps from behind, he resisted the urge to reach for his sword.

"Let them inside," a deep, commanding, feminine voice said from behind. "My home is meant to be a safe haven for everyone, traveler and villager alike."

Link noticed that the man suddenly stood up a little bit straighter. "Oh! O-of course, Lady Impa!"

The skull kid turned. Sure enough, the sheikah woman from the castle was there, standing just behind him with her arms crossed.

"Good to see you again, Link. I trust your journey is going well?"

Link nodded.

"Lady Impa, you know this- you know him?"

The woman nodded. "Yes, he's on a quest for Princess Zelda. Since he's here, I'd like to speak with him. Now if you'll excuse us…"

She moved between the two to pass on to the door. Link bowed his head and hurried behind.

The inside of the house was dry and much warmer. Although it was dim inside, there was a small, brick oven ablaze, giving light to the room. Link noticed two people inside: a skinny man seated by a wall of bookshelves, his nose buried in a book, and a young red-headed woman tending to the fire. The man glanced up at the two and began to open his mouth to say something, but thought better of it when he saw Impa, and closed his mouth again.

The girl looked up at the new arrivals as soon as she finished shifting the burning logs. "Ah, Lady Impa, we weren't expecting a visit. I would have cleaned up the place if I had known. Oh, and… you're that kid from a few days ago, aren't you?"

Link nodded slowly.

"You need not apologize," Impa began. "I would love to hear about how the village is doing, but I'm afraid I cannot stay long. There is a lot going on at the castle, and I am only here for a few hours to check up on a few things. I'll be leaving as soon as the rest of the storm passes. For now, I need to speak with this boy."

She turned her attention to Link. "Come, let's get you out of those wet clothes. Do you have anything else to wear?"

The skull kid nodded, already pulling the gloves from his outfit off. He retreated quickly to the back of the room and up a flight of stairs, already beginning to pull his old, ratty kokiri tunic out.

Impa turned her back. "Let me know when you are finished getting dressed."

He moved quickly, shimmying out of the pants and the red tunic in exchange for the green one, fingers brushing over some of the old cuts and rips. He left his boots off, and called out to Impa when he was done, who moved his wet clothes over by the fire spread out to dry off before returning to sit by him at a table on the upper floor. Navi fluttered to a stop on the table between the two of them.

Impa began to speak in a quiet voice. "I apologize if any villagers gave you trouble. Things have been tense here, from what I gather. Gandondorf came through just a day or two ago on a trip up to Goron City, and they're on edge." She turned her head to look outside a window for a moment. "I cannot stay long. The situation at the castle is becoming precarious, and truly, I should not be away from Zelda's side. Tell me, how goes your search for the stones."

"We've just come back from Goron City," Navi responded. "Darunia gifted us the stone this afternoon for helping him."

Link began to reach for his bag to show off the stone, but Impa held a hand up to stop him. "No, not here child. Ganondorf has eyes in many places, it is best to not risk it." Once his hands were away from the bag, she gave him the slightest smile. "I'm glad to hear that you've succeeded though. Tell me, do you have a clue where the third one might be?"

The skull kid nodded. Navi spoke for both of them. "We have a good reason to believe that the last stone is with the zora people. We planned to head there as soon as possible."

"That would make sense. The zora are a race of fish-like people. It would make sense that they would hold the spiritual stone of water."

A crash of thunder sounded outside. Impa glanced downstairs, catching the girl mumbling something about how she wishes she had brought the cuccos in the house.

"I had come in hopes of finding out how things were going on your end. I'm glad to see that they're going well. Once this storm passes, I will be returning to the castle, and remaining there to keep an eye on the princess. I suggest you rest and return to your quest as soon as possible as well."

Link nodded seriously. "I will."

Impa smiled once again before standing up. "If you'll excuse me, I am going back downstairs to look over a book from my people. There is still much to prepare for. Remember what I told you before, Link. It's up to us to protect this land from evil. Everyone is counting on you."

The skull kid lowered his head slightly. "I know."

"I wish you luck on your travels. Be careful, Link, and may the goddesses grant you swiftness in your journey."

With that, the woman headed back down the stairs, leaving Link and Navi to dwell on their thoughts.

The skull kid remained seated for a moment, thinking about the responsibility he was left with. About how close he had come to dying in Dodongo's Cavern. About how vulnerable he truly was. What if something happened to him while he was seeking the final stone? Would that doom everyone? Or would things be as bad as they're made out to be?

He traced the shape of the Kokiri Emerald into the wooden table. Then the Goron Ruby. Both the kokiri and the gorons were depending on him returning their stones, weren't they?

Would something happen if he was unable to return their stones?

He really, really hoped he would not have to find out.


	14. Feeling Stubborn

_~Feeling Stubborn~_

* * *

"Can't I throw just one into the fire? C'mon, it would be funny."

Navi looked over the skull kid in exasperation. No matter how many times she said it, he seemed to forget the concept of respecting other people's things just a few minutes later. The lack of discipline for the lonely forest dweller was showing, and it was driving her absolutely nuts.

She let out a long breath. "No, Link. We've already been over this. I know your kind thrives on mischief and childish pranks but destroying people's things goes beyond what's okay. Try to get some sleep."

The wooden boy grumbled something about not being tired slowly pulled his hand away from the book he had been eying. He trod back over to the bed, flopped down, and rolled over on his side, facing the wall.

Navi caught herself growing increasingly concerned by his growing frustration and disdain. Just earlier today, he had been so receptive to her teachings on the wrongness of trespassing, even if he did not seem to totally get it. But the longer they were cooped up in this house, the more antsy and gripey he seemed to get. If her sense of time was right - and she suspected it was, as fairies have a very good sense of time - then then they had been in here less than two hours. It took not even two hours for boredom to turn to mischief.

Still, the rain seemed to be letting up. A bit more time, and they could leave if he really wanted. Sure, they'd be traveling in darkness, but darkness did not slow him down that much. Even Impa seemed to have plans to travel in the dark. Time was of the essence; they could handle anything the dark threw at them. Hopefully.

"Okay Link, you know what? Why don't you start getting your things together, we should be able to leave-" She cut off as she flew over to the other side of Link and realized the light of his eyes had gone dim, leaving two dark, empty holes. Huh, for all his insistence he must have fallen asleep after all. And although they were in a hurry, and she wasn't even sure how much skull kids needed to sleep; it could not hurt to let him rest.

Navi smiled slightly, hovering above him, then fluttered down to his feet to attempt to lift and pull a sheet over him, only sort of succeeding. With Link taken care of, she poked herself up under his hat, settling amongst the fabric.

"Sweet dreams, Link."

* * *

 _Link could not be certain how long he had been out of it, but it must have been some time. As his sight flickered back, his eyes coming to light, he could see beams of light filtering through the dense canopy of leaves above him._

 _He shifted in the wooden cranny he had settled down into. Huh. This wasn't the soft grass and leaf bed he had created for himself. So where…_

 _Soft, unfamiliar laughter sounded somewhere above him. His head slowly tilted upwards. A green-clad girl was seated on a root above him. Her face was soft, and round, and fleshy - unlike the bark of his or any other skull kids - framed neatly in hair as green as the outfit she was wearing. He quickly realized that she must be a kokiri._

 _He let out an alarmed cry, springing to his feet. His sudden movement seemed to catch her off guard as well. She gasped, flinching. Her reaction put him in a defensive state, backed into a corner. He shrank back, trying to appear smaller as he stared up at her, not daring to let his gaze falter away, lest she make sudden movements. Was she afraid of him? Or was he the one that was afraid? Afraid of being caught where he wasn't supposed to be? Afraid of being of being driven away? What_ was _he afraid of?_

 _Her face shifts into a more neutral expression. He laughs nervously, hoping it would show her that he meant no harm. There's a pause, and then she smiles. He laughs more. She laughs. She hops down in front of him. Her mouth moves like she's saying something, but all that comes out is more laughter. His laughter slows to a stop. He can't make out her face anymore._

 _She charges forward, hands grabbing hold of his shoulders. Where she makes contact, it feels like he's burning._

" _Saria!?"_

 _He panics, attempting to pull away, but her hands curled around him, digging into his skin, flecks of amber oozing up around the wounds. On some level, he's aware now that it's a dream; kokiri can't break through his tough skin just like that. But in the moment, it doesn't matter._

 _The burning sensation begins to spread, tendrils spreading deep into his body, and branching out into more threads of searing pain._

 _The kokiri leans down, malice in her eyes and hisses a single word._

Link startled awake with a gasp, sitting up as his eyes flickered to life. He hears Navi somewhere nearby, letting out a cry of protest at the sudden movement. His hands gripped the bedsheet like vices.

* * *

He's still in Impa's house. Just a dream. Just a nightmare about Saria.

There is little light, besides the soft glow of his eyes. He thinks he sees the slight glow of a candle on the floor below. And perhaps a small amount of light leaks from the moon through the window.

Wait, the light from the window… The skull kid sprang up from the bed, dashing over to look out the window. Sure enough, the rain had stopped, and most of the cloud cover had cleared.

"Navi!" He cried out. "We stayed over! We gotta go!"

His outburst caused someone to groan and shush him from below. Apparently, the other people in the house had drifted off to sleep at some point.

Link ignored the protest, scampering down the stairs to where his drying clothes had been sat out beside the stove. Though they were still slightly damp, he took them anyways, stuffing them into his bag carelessly. He tugged on his boots in a rush, and then he was out the door, unaware of Impa watching the excitement unfold.

"May the goddesses light your path and make your journey swift," the woman murmured before heading out the door for her own trip.

The short trip back to Hyrule Field was uneventful, the pair traveling quietly under the moonlight. At least, until Navi broke the silence.

"Hey, Link, are you sure you don't need any more rest? You were only asleep for maybe a few hours at most."

The skull kid shook his head. "I'll be fine. I don't really need much sleep. I mean… resting helps me be more energetic and kinda helps me heal faster if I'm conserving energy by sleeping, you know? But I don't _need_ it to live."

Navi considered his statement for a moment. "I suppose that makes sense… Being undead does probably mean you need none, or at least less of things that living creatures need. But what about food, do you really need to eat then?"

In response to her question, Link shrugged. "I don't know, it feels right though."

The fairy was dissatisfied with his answer, but accepted it none the less, sensing that she would get no clear response. "Well, fairies _do_ need sleep. So, if you'll excuse me, I'm going to try to fall asleep again. When you reach the river, go _against_ the flow of the water, okay?" Once he nodded in response, she let out a hum before ducking back under his hat, leaving the skull kid in silence.

He found himself thinking about the conversation he just had. It had never bothered him before, being undead. So were all the other skull kids. Kokiri did not seem to care _too_ much. And deku scrubs had no problem with it at all. But out here in the world outside the forest? He found himself uncertain. The hylians had given him mixed responses, but the gorons did not seem to care. Then again, none of them really knew what he was.

So maybe the kokiri _did_ care. Maybe they just put up with them all this time? Did Saria secretly look upon him with disgust?

Could he really face returning to the forest after this epiphany?

Dirt and stone gave way to grass. He had been so engrossed by his thoughts, that he had not realized he had made it back to Hyrule field. The reflection of moonlight in the distance and the sound frogs told him where his destination was. Eager to get his mind off of uneasy thoughts, he rushed ahead, stopping just at the shore of the lazy river, close enough for water to flow around the toes of his boots.

He peered down at the murky waters, then crouched to reach a hand down into the murky waters, feeling the tug of the waterflow. In the dark like this, it wouldn't hurt to check the direction. Satisfied, he smiled and stood up, carefully inching his way along the grass and mud and roots along the riverbank, slowly following the water against its flow.

For some time, he was able to follow the river without trouble, carefully avoiding holes and dips in the ground. Once or twice, he thought he caught a glimpse of stalchildren playing in the field on the other side of the river. But he never tried to swim across to join. For one thing, he could not tell how deep the river was in the cover of darkness, and the current was strong enough that he would likely be swept away in its flow. But also, he almost kind of felt like he needed to be alone at the moment.

But before long the sky began to lighten, tinged a rosy color by the rising sun, the clouds having thinned to wisps. It was here that he had to temporarily halt his journey. In the dawn light, he could see that he'd reached a branch in the river. If he were to follow his current path, the river would take him through a cave. But a second fork flowed, veering sharply away.

Link reached up under his hat to tap at the fairy inside, hoping to get her attention. "Hey, um… Navi."

"Mm… no listen to… ten more minutes…" the fairy incoherently mumbled. He poked at her harder, and harder still until he felt her tumble off his head and down into the bottom of his hat with a startled cry, pulling the hat down with her as she fell to the mud. She struggled to free herself from the cloth-covered darkness, finally managing to untangle herself and fly out.

"Link! What was that for?!"

Link paused to pick up his hat, then wordlessly pointed at the branch in the river before crouching to run his hat through the water in an attempt to clean it off.

"Which way?"

"Oh." Navi fell silent, flying forward until she was hovering several feet above the branch in the river. "Well… Wait here for a moment." Before he had a chance to protest, she took off up the smaller fork, leaving Link alone in silence to wring out as much water as he could from his hat before unceremoniously returning the damp cloth to his head.

Navi returned to his line of sight not much later, deciding to rest on his shoulder instead of inside the damp hat. "I think we need to go through the cave. That side appears to be flowing downstream, branching out from the cave.

Link considered her observation before giving the fairy a nod and beginning his trek. Though he still had to be careful, he now had to be less so than before; it was just bright enough now that he could make out the way in front of him. But his pace slowed once again as he entered the cave, his vision once again limited. He kept one hand against the left cave wall, taking note of the sound of rushing water to his right. A couple times, he found himself having to climb up a steep slope.

But before long, sunlight came into view in the tunnel's end. He scurried ahead, eager to escape the encroaching darkness.

The tunnel opened up on the other side into a ravine, tall stone-and-dirt walls at least five times his height surrounding him on every side. His side was a cliff jutting out above the water. To his left, a wall and to his right, the river hugged against the other wall. Ahead of him, the crumbled stone remains of an old gate was strewn about the path, a pile of rubble that he would have to climb to pass. But surprisingly, at the top of the path was someone that was beginning to become a familiar sight: the wizened giant bird, Kaepora Gaebora.

"You again?" Navi exclaimed. "What are you doing here? I know you seem to have taken interest in Link, but are you following us?"

The bird ruffled his feathers, waggling his head. "Hoo hoo, now, is it really following if I'm here first?" When his question went unanswered, he continued. "Well, now, you'll be happy to know that you're on the right track. Just ahead lies Zora's Domain." His tone darkened slightly. "Oh, but I'm afraid you may find it difficult to receive help from them at this time."

"It can't be any harder than what we had to do to get the Goron's Ruby," Navi protested.

"I'm afraid it may just be," the bird countered. You see, a certain important member of the zora royal family has gone missing. You won't find any help here unless you manage to find her. If you wish to find her, I suggest you speak with Jabu Jabu, the zora's guardian spirit, and bring with you an offering."

"What Kind of… offering?" Link asked.

"I'm afraid you will have to determine that on your own, I am certain you will be capable of figuring something out. But first, we must get you inside. Hoo, you see, the zoras serve Hyrule's royal family by protecting this water source. Their door will not open for anyone except those who have some connection with them."

"Oh, that shouldn't be a problem," Navi said. "Do we still have that letter Zelda gave us, Link?"

The boy tilted his head up, bringing a finger up to his chin. "Um… no I think that guard kept it, actually."

"Oh. Well…" Navi hesitated. "That should be fine. We can try playing Zelda's song. It worked for the gorons so it should work here, I think."

Link gave the fairy a nod. That seemed reasonable. He reached down into his bag to thumb anxiously at the wooden instrument.

Kaepora Gaebora let out an impressed trill. "It sounds like you already have an idea of what to do. Well then, don't let me slow you down any longer. Remember, you are capable of great things, young hero-to-be. I expect to see you again soon." Satisfied, the bird took off, lifting high into the air and circling a couple times before finally flying away.

Link watched until he was out of sight, then turned his attention to the rubble in front of him. He took a moment to adjust his bag, and then with a running leap, he began to scramble his way over the broken stone. Oh, how he wished he could teleport right now, becoming one with nature to warp to the other side.

Much of his morning was spent in near silence like this, only punctuated by his footsteps and Navi calling out the direction he needed to head. The route up the river was in no way set, and he found himself having to leap across gaps and wade through the shallower parts of the river to continue his upstream journey. Several times, he barely made the jump from solid ground to solid ground, his feet scrabbling just inches from rushing water as he pulled himself to safety.

The two stopped for lunch in the mid-afternoon on one stone pillar that raised out of the water, watching the sun slowly creep along, and watching fish swim through the waters with little care.

"How much further, do you think?" Link asked between mouthfuls.

Navi turned away to avoid looking at Link's meal of bug legs. "It can't be much further, I hope. It wouldn't make sense for it to be too far away, if they guard Hyrule's water. At least, I think so."

The skull kid hummed in agreement before taking another bite out of his food. He began to reach in his bag for the ocarina. Perhaps he could play it to pass the time, or maybe even talk to Saria and Skull Kid. But he hesitated just before his fingers made contact, a lingering doubt in his head.

"What do we do if they won't let us in?"

"They'll let us in," Navi said.

"But what if they don't?"

"They will," she insisted. "But if they don't, we'll just have to figure something else out. Surely Zelda or Impa would have a backup plan."

"I hope so..."

He remained quiet for the rest of the meal. And even afterwards, when they continued upriver. Fortunately, the rest of their trip was not nearly as difficult. The uneven ground soon gave way to a bridge. He crossed it with renewed vigor. Beyond it, a path on one side by stone and on the other by a fence lead him upwards and around a corner, veering slightly away from the river.

As he rounded the corner, the sight that came into view made his jaw go slack in surprise. The path cris-crossed in front of him, coming to a stop in front of a great, roaring cascade of water. Spray splashed shallowly on stones below, that pooled widely before narrowing out together into the river. He slowly continued down the path, awestruck by the view - far bigger than anything similar in the forest. It was… awe inspiring, really.

There was just one problem… the path came to a stop completely at the waterfall, and the stone on either side was damp and sheer, absolutely not fit for climbing.

"If this is the end, then where…" he started to mumble as he continued to the grass. Until his feet stepped on something that made a different noise. Something much more solid and firm than grass and dirt and mud. He paused, stepping back once to look down. At his feet was a carved stone slab, a familiar trio of faded, golden triangles on the surface. He bent down, running a finger on a particularly faded triangle. This must have been here for a long time, but no one had come by to upkeep it recently.

An idea struck him. If this was related to the royal family, then…

He let out an excited noise, fingers fumbling in his bag for the ocarina. No sooner than it was in his hands, it was up to his lips, letting out the melancholy tune of Zelda's Lullaby. Please, please let this work.

For a moment, nothing happened. Dejected, he put his ocarina way. But then, he began to hear a low rumble. Alarmed, he stiffened, eyes darting to and fro. Before locking onto the waterfall. To his surprise, the water slowly began to part from the center, leaving the middle exposed. But even more surprising, was the waterfall's secret. Behind it, a square- cut cave had been revealed.

The answer was obvious: he sprang forward into the opening, slowly, the water behind him began to cover the entrance again He could only hope that he was right.

"How'd they do that?" He mumbled to Navi.

"Magic, probably."

He walked in near darkness for several minutes, only his eyes and Navi's guiding light to lead them. But soon, the tunnel opened into a new, awe inspiring sight.

Zora's Domain was made up of a huge system of caves. The tunnel had led up into a great cavern filled with water. Great clumps of glowing moss grew on the damp walls, providing light along with torches to the cave. Above him, the reflection of water danced on the cavern roof. A few stone islands dotted the indoor pool below, most of them empty save for a torch or moss.

Link slowly looked around as he stepped further in, his footsteps echoing in the cavern halls. The walkway curved around the cavern wall to his right, a good distance above the pooling water below. He paused at the edge to look down at the bright watery surface, only to stumble back and let out a cry of alarm as something sprang up from the depths, grabbing hold of the cliff edge and scrambling over to the top to get a look at him.

The creature was at least a head taller than him, covered in pale blue scales, with darker splotches in spots on his head and arms. Large fins tapered off of their arms, the ends waving slightly with their movement. Perhaps the oddest thing about him, in Link's opinion, was his head. The back of his head extended out further than any other species he had met thus far, curving and tapering until it met into small fins that reminded him of a fish tail.

Based on what he had been told thus far, he could only conclude that this was a zora.

The fish person looked him over carefully, cautiously. "Are you the one that played the royal family's song?" he asked. His tone was watery, but Link could still make out his words. The skull kid nodded, prompting a surprised tilt of the head. "Oh, may I ask why you're here then?"

Navi answered for Link. "The princess sent us here. We were hoping we could speak with your royal family, about a sacred stone. Or perhaps to the zora's guardian spirit?"

The zora frowned slightly. "You're free to try, though you're unlikely to get anything out of the king right now." He pointed to his left, down the path. "Follow this down the way and around the corner, you'll come to the throne room. Lord Jabu Jabu resides just beyond that, though I doubt the king will allow you access right now."

"Why is that, if I may ask?"

"It's not really outsider's business, although since you're with the Hylian royal family, I suppose I can tell you. Our dear princess Ruto went missing three days ago now, and no one has been able to find her."

Link frowned, rubbing the back of his hand anxiously. He had already known some of the information, but now he knew more about the situation and had a better idea of what he was getting into.

"Thank you for letting us know," Navi said. "We will see what we can find out. We may even be able to help."

"Well, good luck to you, and I hope you're able to enjoy your stay here." With that the zora backed up and flipped over the edge of the cliff, dropping into the water with a large splash.

Link began to make his way down the path as instructed, turning to the left when he came up to a fork. The other path had curved further down, towards the water. But this one headed up, a flight of stairs ahead.

"Zora's Domain is quite pretty; don't you think Link?" Navi said, fluttering just a few feet ahead.

"Hm? Oh, I guess so. It's too damp."

"Does water really bother you that much?"

"It takes forever to dry out if it seeps down under my bark, and if I'm not careful, it could lead to rot."

"Better than being too dry and burning easily though, isn't it?"

"I guess that's fair."

The pair grew silent as they trudged up the final, long set of stairs, moving through a tunnel into a smaller open room. A platform raised atop a flight of stairs stood in front of them. A few inches of water flowed left into another tunnel along most of the floor. Several zoras were standing in this water with their backs turned to the skull kid and fairy duo. Instead, they had their heads tilted upwards to another blue figure, a great, fat creature sitting on a ledge above them, adorned in a cape and a jeweled crown.

"That must be the king," Navi whispered, landing on Link's shoulder.

"Are you sure? He looks totally different from everyone else."

"Shh, listen."

"Has there been any sign of my daughter?" The large zora asked, his tone urgent.

One of the zora's shook his head. "None so far, sir. We've sent a party to Lake Hylia. One of them is to speak with the man with an observatory there, in hopes that he may have spotted the princess."

"What about Jabu Jabu, has he spoke any wisdom?"

"Jabu Jabu has refused to speak to us, sir. Ever since that gerudo man came to speak with the two of you, he's gone silent." The statement sent anxious murmurs up through the group of zoras.

Navi and Link shared a look with each other. Link mouthed the name "Ganondorf." So, he had already been here too. Link opened his mouth to say something, but Navi quickly hushed him as another zora spoke up.

"With all due respect, your highness, is it not possible that Ruto's disappearance, as well as Jabu Jabu's sudden silence, are connected to this Ganondorf? Both happened shortly after his visit after all."

The king said nothing at first, letting out an odd noise. But then he spoke in a troubled tone. "You raise a good point. However, it would be dangerous to jump to conclusions. It would be unwise of us to make an enemy with another ally of the hylians."

A third of the surrounding zora scoffed. "Since when have the gerudo ever sided with either the hylians or us. I say it's all a ruse." None of the other zora protested his statement.

Still, the king was adamant. "Historic enemies as they may be, the gerudo live in harsh conditions. We should always consider it possible that they have realized that there is more benefit in allying with Hyrule." He paused to look over the rest of the zora, as if daring them to question him. "If there is nothing else to be said, then please get back to work, the longer Ruto goes without being found, the more danger she's in."

He raised a hand, holding it out to the small group. "You are all-"

"Hold on!"

Link shank back against the cave wall as another zora came rushing by, seemingly so in a hurry that he did not notice him.

"Great King!" The zora called out breathlessly, holding up a bottle in one hand. "We- found something at Lake Hylia! A- a note from the princess!"

At once, the chamber was a flurry of activity, zoras approaching to get a better look at what the zora that entered was holding, concerned voices, alarmed calls. The zora that had brought the note - a slightly smaller zora with dark stripes on the back of his head, lacking the tail-like protrusion at the back of his head - had to back up and hold his item - a bottle - up in the air to avoid being overwhelmed."

"ENOUGH!" The king's voice rang out, bringing the clamor to a hush. Only once everyone's voices died down did he speak again, addressing the zora with the bottle. "Please, Mau, tell us what you found."

"Yes, of course your highness," the zora quickly said, struggling with the bottle to remove a damp piece of paper. "While we were scouring Lake Hylia, we found this bottle near the bottom of the lake with a note inside. We brought it back to the surface and discovered that it was in the princess' handwriting."

"Well, what did it say? Out with it!"

"Oh, right,"" The zora ran a hand sheepishly along the back of his head. "Ahem. It says to any dashing prince daring enough to look for me… Help me, I'm waiting for you inside Jabu Jabu's belly. Ruto."

At once, the room was a cacophony of voices.

"What?!"

"Why would Lord Jabu Jabu ever eat the princess?"

"This has to be a sick trick; someone must have kidnapped her and is just playing games with us?"

"What should we do?"

"Are we sure she actually wrote that letter."

"Your highness, what do you want us to do?"

Finally, the voices seemed to die back down, awaiting the king's response. The king was surprisingly silent for some time. When he spoke, his voice was quiet.

"I do not believe that Lord Jabu Jabu would ever do something like that. He would never harm my daughter. But… it is true that he's been behaving oddly in recent time… We cannot risk it. I want a team of zoras working on getting Jabu Jabu to tell us if he truly has devoured the princess. The rest of you, keep searching elsewhere. I pray that by Nayru's graces that this is only an incredibly cruel trick. Dismissed!"

Immediately zoras began scrambling about, spreading out into groups as most exited the throne room, some past Link, and others through the tunnel to the left. By the end, the only people remaining in the throne room were Link, Navi, the king, and a couple of attendants.

"Come on," Navi whispered. "Let's go ask for permission to help out."

Link shook his head in response, whispering back. "No, let's just do it. Kaepora Gaebora said we wouldn't get any help unless we helped first, and to speak with Jabu Jabu right? So, let's just do that."

"But how would we manage to speak to him if he won't even talk to his own people?"

"Simple, we bring him a gift, like the bird said."

"Don't you think they've already tried that?" When Link did not answer, Navi let out a sigh. "Okay, but what _kind_ of gift?"

The question finally stumped Link. "Well… what would the Great Deku Tree have wanted if he was getting a gift?"

"That wouldn't help us Link. Really, why can't we just go talk to the king? I'm sure he would be willing to hear us out."

"I can figure this out on my own." Link turned and began to make his way back down the hall. "People like food, right? What if I brought him something to eat?"

"If he's a spirit, he probably doesn't need to eat."

"That doesn't mean it's not worth a try. Oh, I know, there's bound to be all sorts of fish here. Maybe that will work?"

Before Navi could protest, Link turned and scurried down the hall, taking the path down to the edge of the pool this time. To his left, a small cave entrance was lit by moss and torchlight, a bored looking zora leaning on a counter inside. Link ignored them, instead turning his attention to the shallow waters just beyond it. He splashed into the water, his footsteps sending a small splatter of droplets every which way. The water here was barely more than a deep puddle's depth, not even rising all the way above his boots.

He paused just a few feet in, scanning the water for any sign of movement. "There!" He called out, pointing to a small school of fish hanging in the slightly deeper water. Slowly he began to inch his way forward, aware of every single ripple his movement made on the water. Only when he felt he was close enough did he spring forward, nearly diving into the water to grab hold of one of the wriggling fish. Its tail slapped against him in a panic. He tightened his grip. Not daring to let go of the slippery, scaly creature.

Once he was sure he had a good grip, he stood up in triumph, the front of his tunic soaked.

"Hah! Got it!" He turned back to look at Navi, who let out a sigh.

"Fine, since you already put this much effort into it, we'll try _your_ way. Come on, hurry!"

And back up the path they went, past the cave, up and around the curve, back up to the throne room. The king still seemed occupied, discussing plans a few zoras that had returned.

"Alright, let's go up and ask to be admitted," Navi said, raising up above Link's head.

But Link ignored her, instead making a wide arc around the side of the room. There was an exit just behind the king. It would be a tight fit, but he figured he could just barely squeeze through.

He tiptoed quickly, wanting the fish to still be alive by the time they reached Jabu Jabu. But perhaps the careful, methodical movements were a poor decision, because once one of the zora's noticed him, they drew attention to his suspicious movements.

"You there in the green, what do you think you're doing?"

Link froze, feeling all eyes turned on him. He was mere feet away from the gap now! He looked between all of the zora's faces, some more judgmental than others. "I was just…." He darted, making a dive for the exit.

"Stop them!"

"No wait! I swear it's not what it looks like!" Navi cried out, fluttering behind Link. "We just want to help! We thought maybe bringing Jabu Jabu a gift might get him to speak!"

"A gift? What if they're poisoning Lord Jabu Jabu!"

"Maybe _they're_ the ones that took Ruto!"

Link let out a squeak of alarm, stumbling and struggling to speed up in the shallow water and on the slimy stone underneath.

"No, it's not like that!" Navi called out, but at the sea of angry faces rushing up the steps, she turned and fled with Link. "Never mind, there's no reasoning with them right now, just run!"

The skull kid darted through the waist-deep water as fast as he could wade, slowed down by the force of the water, and the water beginning to soak into his clothes, into him. The zora seemed far less concerned by the water. But there was still something that was impeding their pursuit.

"Your highness, please move!"

None of them were small enough to squeeze through the gap that Link had.

He could hear the slight splash as the king shifted aside. He had little time. Please _please_ let Jabu Jabu vouch for him.

The small tunnel opened into evening sky. To his left, spiked wooden logs impeded his escape. In front of him was nothing but a stone wall. But to his right was a stone platform raised out of the water. And just beyond it, a huge fish far bigger than any creature he had ever seen, adorned by a head-dress filled with embedded blue gems nearly the size of Link's head, brightly colored fabrics hanging down from it.

"That's got to be Jabu Jabu!" Navi called out. "Quick, over there!"

Link pushed through the deepening water, nearly up to his chest now, until he made it to the underwater stone steps. He pulled himself out of the water, now face to face with the fish, and held the fish aloft.

"Hurry, they couldn't have gotten far!"

"Great Jabu Jabu!" Navi called out, a hint of alarm creeping into her voice. "We come requesting your help. We wish to find the princess and were hoping that our offering would convince you to help us!" She glanced back to the cave exit. "We would also request your help clearing our name. The zora think we may have something to do with the princess' disappearance. So please!"

The fish shifted for a moment, then stilled. Link stiffened, expecting to be turned away. He dropped the fish.

Jabu Jabu's eyes moved, taking notice of the flopping movement of the fish Link had brought him. Slowly, the great fish's moth opened, sucking in air. Link realized with alarm that that the force was strong enough to tug at him. He tried to pull back, to dig in his feet, but the force became too much, and he felt himself lifted off the ground. Suddenly he was flying through the air, and before he realized what had happened, the jaws snapped shut, leaving him in darkness.


	15. Sleeping with Fishes

_**A/N:** I'm going to freely admit this is neither my favorite nor my best chapter. More info on why I did some of the things I did at the end of the chapter, but if you feel any weirdness please point it out. Also, this fic is now a year old! Wild! I might post some retrospective stuff about it on my tumblr later this month, so check there if you're curious._

* * *

 _~Sleeping With Fishes~_

* * *

"Link?"

That was Navi. Where was she?

"Link, wake up!"

As he came to, the light of his eyes flickering back to life, Link let out a loud groan, shifting slightly. He was on his back, in some sort of dimly lit chamber. His body felt… moist, or maybe almost like he was coated in a layer of slime. He forced himself to sit up and realized how squishy and springy the floor felt. That was… abnormal. Moss was kind of springy, but this did not feel like moss. But this floor was bumpy and almost seemed like it was moving, just a little.

Navi fluttered into his line of sight as he sat up.

"Oh, thank goodness, you're finally awake. I was getting really worried when you weren't responding."

The skull kid slowly looked around. Although the lighting might have been dim, he could tell that the floor below him was a pinkish color and oddly textured. Just a few feet in front of him, it sloped downwards into a shallow pool of water. Or at least, he figured it was water.

"Where are we?" He asked the fairy. "I remember we were running from those zoras…"

"And then Jabu Jabu ate us," Navi finished. "I think you must have landed hard, because you were out of it for a few minutes."

Link glanced back behind them. Sure enough, there was a row of teeth blocking his exit, a great row of glistening, off-white protrusions as big as he was. He let out a disheartened cry. "How are we supposed to get out of here?"

"I've been thinking on that," Navi said slowly. "I think… maybe we're here for a reason?"

"To become dinner?"

"No, not that! Think about it, we heard them say that the princess had been eaten, right? There might have been a reason for that, maybe Jabu Jabu brought us in here to take her back out?"

"That sounds… weird."

The fairy paused, flying a bit lower. "I suppose it does but… Well, I think we should go deeper inside at least. Maybe we'll find answers further in?"

"I guess it's worth a shot…" _Or maybe we'll just die,_ he silently added to himself. Usually, he was more optimistic than this, but becoming a fish's dinner did not do his feelings any favors.

Link let out a sigh, then set off, fighting the urge to shudder as he began to walk across the strange, squishy, fleshy surface, stepping into the "water." It was not water though, he quickly realized. Or at least, not pure water, as it seemed to be a bit thicker, more viscous. Water mixed with bodily fluids, perhaps. Moisture occasionally dripped from the roof of the mouth, dripping into the small pool. He shuddered.

The pool of water stretched across the chamber, coming up just below his knees at its deepest point. He shifted through it, careful to keep his footing on the slimy tongue underneath him. As it grew shallower, the chamber narrowed into a tunnel of sorts. Once he was out of the pool, he took a moment to try to empty his boots of the liquid, shaking them with a gaging noise while he stood on one foot. He would have to wash them properly in water later to get the rest of it off. Disgusting.

"I know it's kind of dark," Navi mumbled, fluttering nearby while she waited for Link to finish. "But… don't you think it's kind of weird that there's any light at all in here?"

Link paused his cleaning efforts for just a second. "Dunno."

Have fluttered closer for a moment, then away again. "Oh… I guess it could just be magic that comes with being a great spirit. There was light inside the Deku Tree too, after all."

Not satisfied but resigned that he would get no further until he could properly clean his boots, Link shouldered his bag just a bit more steadily and set off squishing down the tunnel. The pair walked in silence for several moments, beyond the occasional gag at the fishy smell or comment on how gross this was.

But finally, their efforts to explore were rewarded. The tunnel opened up into a larger chamber, far bigger than the oral cavity they had started from. The flesh that made up the floor was paler here. To his right, Link could see that the ground dropped off sharply, though he could not see the bottom nor the top of the room.

"Yep, this place is definitely magic, because _that_ is certainly not normal," Navi reported, flying a few feet over the gap. In the middle a platform seemed to float, sharp bones protruding from the bottom. The room gave a violent shudder, then he watched for a moment as it descended into darkness.

He turned his attention away from the hole, instead carefully making his way across the ledge, hanging close to the wall. His path lead him through another tunnel, deeper into the maze of tissue.

It did not take long for Link to realize that it was a bit lighter up ahead. He hurried ahead to find himself in another chamber of sorts, this one only a bit bigger than the fish's mouth. At the far end of the room a strange, long tendril stretched from top to bottom, pulsating with light and energy. Link quickly decided he would stay clear of it.

He took a step forward, only for Navi to fly in front to stop him.

"Hold on Link, watch your step!" She fluttered down close to the floor, pointing out small holes in the floor. The tissue around it was bruised blue and seemed to ooze a reddish fluid, probably blood. He quickly realized that there were several holes in the floor that were roughly the same size and shape.

"What do you think could have caused that?" Navi mumbled.

Link slowly shook his head, clueless. Carefully, he inched his way towards the nearest hole to get a better look.

A squelching sound behind him made him whip back around, reaching for his sword.

Near the wall, originally hidden from his view when he entered, was a young zora, frozen in place. She had the same pale and dark blue-green body as the others he had seen, but unlike the others she did not have the long, fish-tail like protrusion from the back of her head, instead, the back of her head raised up to a flat, wide bulge, two purple orbs on either side that Link swore might be a second pair of eyes.

Despite being unarmed, she seemed neither frightened nor impressed by Link's weapon. Slowly, he returned the sword to its sheath, as Navi fluttered to his side.

"Link," she whispered. "I think that might be the princess."

He nodded slowly in response.

The zora girl placed her hands on her hips. "You there," she began in a sharp tone. "Monster. Who are you and what are you doing in Lord Jabu Jabu?"

Link flinched at the harsh statement. Fortunately, he did not have to do anything, as Navi answered for him.

"He's Link, and I'm Navi. Are you by chance Ruto?"

The zora removed her hands, letting them drop to her sides. "How did… yes, my name is Ruto. You still have not answered the rest of my question. Why are you here?"

Navi looked back towards the skull kid for a moment. "Um…. well you see, we overheard your father and his guards were looking for you, and they said they found a letter in a bottle that said you'd been eaten up by Jabu Jabu, so we decided to come rescue you. Only…" she paused, turning away to look at her surroundings. "We had not planned to be eaten up like this."

Ruto scoffed waving her hand dismissively. "Letter in a Bottle? I have no idea what you're talking about! Like I would ever ask for help like that. I'm exactly where I need to be."

Navi turned back to the zora. "You… are? What are you getting on about?"

The princess stuck up her nose. "Like I need to tell you. Anyway, I can't go home right now, I have things I need to take care of. You... Go ahead and get out of here, understand?"

She whipped around, sauntering off away from the duo, nose still in the air, not paying attention to her surroundings.

"Ruto, wait!" Navi shouted. "Watch out!"

But her warning fell on deaf ears. The two could only watch in horror as the zora stepped right into one of the wounds. She tried to catch herself but slid, falling down before slipping through the hole with a squeal.

Link dashed forward to the edge of the hole and looked down nervously. He could just barely make out solid ground below in the dim light. Fortunately, he could see where Ruto landed. The princes was already up, dusting herself off as if only mildly inconvenienced.

He turned to look at Navi for a moment. After what the princess had said, he was a bit nervous about approaching her again. But no, they needed that stone. He could put his feelings aside for now. So, he took a couple steps back, and then sprang forward, diving into the hole and landing on the ground with a clumsy roll.

Link took a moment to look himself over. He was a bit sore from the clumsy landing, but everything seemed okay otherwise, and all his equipment was still in one piece. Only then did he turn his attention to the princess to his side, who had her hands on her hips and was impatiently tapping her foot.

"Why are you still hanging around here?" she huffed. "I told you to go away!"

Link decided not to answer. If she wasn't going to answer them, then why should he answer her? He still, however replied with a quiet "are you okay?"

Ruto tilted her head up, rolling her eyes. "I'm _fine_. I've been going inside Lord Jabu-Jabu's belly since I was little."

Navi raised her voice skeptically. "Really? Then why was everyone so surprised when they heard about it?"

The princess flinched, caught in the lie. But she quickly managed to come up with an excuse and brought a finger up to her mouth. "Because it's mine and Jabu Jabu's secret. No one needed to know. Besides, my dad would have freaked out and probably wouldn't have let me visit Jabu Jabu anymore." She paused, hesitating. "Although… I guess it is strange that Jabu Jabu hasn't let me out yet. He has been behaving strangely the last few days..."

"How has he been behaving strangely?" Navi asked.

"Oh, there are electrified jellyfish and strange holes around...On top of that, my precious stone was…" Suddenly, she seemed to realize that she was sharing more than she meant to. "That's none of your business! Off with you now, forest beast!"

Link winced at her tone and choice of words and began to open his mouth to say something, but Navi spoke up before he found his words.

"Oh, come now, we're just trying to help you! ...And help the rest of Hyrule as a result of that. So, won't you please come with us back to your dad?"

Ruto pointedly shook her head. "Not a chance. I won't leave until I find the thing I'm looking for."

Link tilted his head slightly and asked in a quiet tone, "the stone you mentioned before?"

"I told you that it's none of your business."

"Oh right, we're looking for a stone. Maybe it's the same one? We'll help you look for it if you'd like, princess."

She gave the pair a hard stare for nearly a minute. Link shifted awkwardly on his feet, waiting for her to speak up.

"Well… I suppose I could allow you to accompany me. That way I can keep an eye on you and make sure you're not causing Jabu Jabu any trouble." She nodded once. "Yes, that seems like a good idea. Come along now."

The princess turned and began to head down a corridor behind her. Link looked in that direction and, realizing he had no way to go back, decided to follow her for now, at least.

He followed behind just a short distance in silence for a moment, trying to come up with a witty reply and focusing on watching his step to avoid stringy bits of flesh that stretched across from top to bottom at odd angles. But nothing came to his mind. So, he instead just spoke bluntly. "I'm not a monster."

The zora paused, looking back at him for a moment before continuing to walk. "Really?" She said. "Because you seem like one to me. Glowing eyes… Wood instead of flesh… And you don't seem to be _really_ alive…" She listed out each of the traits on a finger. "Sounds like a bunch of monster traits to me."

Navi made a noise like she was going to say something but ended up holding her tongue. Link didn't try to speak to Ruto again after that.

The path eventually opened into another small chamber. Link realized with dismay that there was a pool of smelly liquid between him and the other side, this one far deeper than the one back where he started in Jabu Jabu's mouth; he would have to swim across.

Unless… he had managed to do magic before, back in the caverns, maybe he could manage now?

Ruto came up to the edge of the pool and grimaced. "Although I hate to swim in it… I suppose I will for my mother's stone, come on now, we don't have all day."

She carefully dipped a toe into the liquid and shuddered. Link had to resist the urge to push her the rest of the way in. But after a final deep breath, she jumped forward, and pushed her way through the stinky pool.

"Link," Navi said, turning to look at him, "come on, what are you waiting for?"

"I'm trying something," Link mumbled. The light of his eyes flickered out as he concentrated, trying to think back to the feeling he'd felt before, when he had fought the lizalfos.

He had envisioned his arm coated in magic, like a thick honey enveloping him from the inside out. He had to do the same now, but with his entire body. Everything, all of him was magic, and the magic enveloped all of him.

Now, he envisioned the platform on the other side. He tried to envision himself there, standing there, waiting.

"What are you doing over there?" He heard Ruto call out. "Come on, hurry up!"

He was snapped too soon back to the moment. Suddenly, he fell with a splash into the pool, the stinking liquid soaking into him. He quickly kicked back to the surface. He had been doing it! He had been using his magic! But his concentration had been lost, and he had ended up only a foot or so into the water. Not wanting to stay any longer, he quickly swam the rest of the way across and climbed back up to the shore. He took a moment to wring out his clothes best he could while he waited for Navi to fly across and join them.

"Were you trying to use your magic to cross?" Navi asked, to which Link only nodded silently. "I was concerned that something might have happened when you grew unresponsive…"

"Are you two done?" Link turned his head back to the speaker, Ruto, who was now waiting by another tunnel for them to finish, tapping her foot impatiently.

Link nodded, quickly pulling his hat back on, and hurried over to stand beside the zora. "Sorry…"

"It's impolite to keep a princess waiting, you know," she pointed out. But she did not chide him further, and instead turned to head down the tunnel on the other side.

Link followed her in silence through the tunnel. Why was she so mean to him? Was it because she was royalty? That could not be it… Zelda was royalty, and she had been so nice to him! Was it because he was a mon… a skull kid? Maybe so. Maybe she did not know what a skull kid was? Maybe once she realized he was just a forest spirit, and not your run of the mill force of darkness, she would be nicer. Maybe.

Right?

The tunnel led them right through a valve-like wall of flesh that the trio had to push through. Ruto insisted that Link lead the way, leaving the skull kid to hold open the exit for her to pass, something that he did with a grumble.

"Are you okay Link?" Navi asked him as he emerged from the other side.

Link did not answer, focusing only on flicking moisture from his arm. Once he was as clean as he could expect to be, he turned his attention to the room.

They were on a small ledge in a small, round room. Behind them was the way they came. On all other sides was a deep pool of water, or whatever the fluid was.

Link let out an exasperated noise. It was a dead end! And there was no other path they could reach back the way they came… Were they trapped now, doomed to become a meal for the godly fish?

Navi voiced his concern. "Where do we go now?"

"Shh!" Ruto exclaimed. Link swore the fins on her arms twitched impatiently. "Just wait a moment, you'll see."

And wait they did, in silence. Link side-eyed Navi in exasperation. If this didn't work out, they would have to figure some way to escape, lest they lose their lives as well as all the stones to Jabu Jabu, leaving Ganondorf to win. If it came down to it, maybe they could cut their way out? He doubted that the zoras would take kindly to that.

But as his thoughts drifted away to methods of escape, the chamber they were in seemed to tremble and shudder.

"You may want to back up," Ruto warned.

As he took a step back, he saw a small trickle of water filter in from above. Then he noticed something descending from above. As it grew closer, he realized it was the floating platform he had seen earlier. He began to hop out onto it, but Ruto held him back with an arm.

"Wait," she warned.

The trickle of water continued, then more and more came, like a cascade, the water level below them quickly rising. He took a step back. The water continued to rise, until they were backed into a corner. But slowly, the torrent trickled to a stop, leaving them a small sliver of shore.

Ruto, without explanation, took off as soon as the water slowed to a stop, taking a graceful leap to land on the platform. She slowly turned, before sitting down and pulling her knees to her chest, addressing Link with a smile. "Well beast? Will you be joining me? Or staying down here to die?"

"I'm not a beast!" Link snapped, his patience wearing thin. But he still followed behind the princess, landing on the platform with a squelching noise.

"That's no way to speak to a princess, spirit!" Ruto griped in turn, her smile replaced by a frown and a crinkled nose.

Link opened his mouth to argue but shut it again as he felt the ground under him shift. He dropped to his hands and knees, fingers digging into flesh as he felt the platform slowly begin to rise back up.

"This is weird," Navi decided. "But I think we can agree this is a cause of Jabu Jabu being, well, magic" She fluttered down to land on his shoulder and continued to speak only to him.

"Don't let her get to you Link, it's not worth fighting over. Not when we all need to escape."

Link wanted to argue that it _was_ worth fighting over. It was not fair that he got pinned as a monster and a beast and an ill-natured spirit! But he said nothing, the light of his eyes flickering to dimmer pricks. "Okay," he mumbled.

The platform soon came to a jolting stop, right where they had seen it before. Link stood up and prepared to jump, but the sound of Ruto clearing her throat made him pause and turn to her.

"Ahem, don't you think maybe you should… help a princess cross, so that she's not risking her life?"

Link looked to Navi helplessly, then back to Ruto. How was he supposed to safely cross if he was helping her? Then an idea came to him. He grinned mischievously, a look that made Ruto falter. He approached and lifted her by the torso, finding her surprisingly lighter than expected. Then he approached the edge to get as close as safely possible and hurled her across the gap. Ruto let out an alarmed scream but landed safely a good foot or two away from the edge on her bottom. Link easily leapt over the gap shortly afterwards.

Ruto stood up and dusted herself off, her cheeks puffed out. "Really, is that how you treat a lady? How uncouth of you!"

Link chose to not respond, instead turning back to walk towards the tunnel he had been through before, ignoring her. A moment later, he heard the squishing of footsteps following him behind.

"H-hey, wait up! You can't just leave me behind."

He was aware of Ruto falling into step just behind him but continued to remain silent. She could follow if she wanted, but he was only concerned about finding a way out, not about the rescue. Not anymore.

Soon, he found himself back in the chamber they had first met. He carefully made his way around the gaping holes of whatever organ or organ-like structure they were in, working his way towards the back of the room.

"Shouldn't you be following _my_ directions?" Ruto called out behind him. "It shouldn't be that way!" But Link again ignored her, walking forward with fists at his side.

"Link wait!" He heard Navi call out suddenly. "Get back!"

He sprang to the side just in time to avoid the monster that fell just where he had been standing, reaching for his sword. The gooey creature landed with a wet splat in the way. Link instinctively struck at it.

Immediately, as he sliced the creature open, his body suddenly seized up. He dropped his sword involuntarily and let out a scream as energy coursed through him. He almost swore he smelt burning…

The next thing he knew, he was lying face up on the ground. Everything hurt. He had no idea how long he had been laying there. It could have been seconds; it could have been hours. He was vaguely aware of someone calling his name.

"Link! Link get up! _Please_ get up Link!"

Slowly he felt feeling return to his body. He carefully squeezed his hands a couple of times to test before slowly forcing himself to sit up. Navi rushed down to rest on his shoulder.

"Oh my goodness Link, thank the goddesses you're alright!"

He shifted his gaze slightly. Ruto was sitting a few feet in front of him, watching. Even she seemed a bit concerned. Looking around, he couldn't see the corpse of the monster that had done this to him.

Navi seemed to get what he was looking for. "Magic," she explained quickly. "Just like those cursed bugs back in the Deku Tree."

He mumbled something in response, but it came out garbled. He shook his head slowly in an attempt to clear the numbness, and then turned to locate his sword. Slowly, he raised to his feet and stumbled over to his blade. Feeling was finally really starting to return, though not without pain.

Once he had made certain he had everything, he turned back towards the tunnel he had originally been approaching and began to walk through it. Ruto stood and hurried after him.

"Link," Navi whispered, speeding up to fly in front of him, "do you need a break? We can take a few minutes if you need it."

The skull kid shook his head quickly. "No," he muttered. "We have to keep going. We can't stay in here."

Navi seemed to hesitate for a moment, but conceded, ducking back under his hat. He walked in silence for a moment.

And then he heard Ruto let out a scream.

He whipped back around just in time to see her fall. Around her ankle a long, worm-like creature had latched its jaws. Link could see electrical pulse surging through its transparent, segmented body. Not wanting a repeat of the prior shock, he chose to forgo his sword for stamping on the creature's head until it let go, though not without leaving jagged punctures on the wound, blood welling up. The worm did not seem too interested in fighting them again, instead drilling its way back into the lining of whatever organ they were in.

As frustrated as Link was by the zora, he still offered a hand out to her to help her to her feet. She accepted the help, pulling herself back up, only to snatch her hand away once she was standing. Link let out a huff.

"A-a princess does not need help from common riffraff such as yourself," she stuttered in a matter-of-fact tone. But as she took a step forward, shifting her weight onto her injured foot, she winced and shook and struggled to stay standing, avoiding looking at Link.

Against his better judgement, despite his anger directed at the princess, Link reached out again, shifting to wrap one arm around her so that he could support her weight. This time, she did not try to pull away.

They continued down the tunnel for some time, until Link saw something unusual stuck amidst the pink, pulsating walls. He reached down to pull it loose, ignoring the spurt of blood that followed.

The foreign object was made of wood, polished but unpainted except for a few green and yellow stripes, and curved like an elbow. An ornate red gem sat in the crook.

"A boomerang?" Navi questioned. "What would that be doing here?"

"Jabu Jabu probably ate it up by accident while swimming around," Ruto replied.

"I'm keeping it."

Both girls turned to look at Link.

"Um…"

"...That's kind of gross, but okay."

Link shifted to secure the boomerang between his belt and his tunic, then readjusted his hold on the zora.

The pair continued down the winding corridors for some time, neither party speaking to the other. Unfortunately, the missing item in question was nowhere to be seen down here. The most they found were a few parasites, the larger ones of which Ruto demanded Link dispatch. Smaller electrical creatures that drilled their way into the flesh, like the one that had grabbed Ruto. Huge, spiked worms that were as thick around as he was.

Surprisingly, he quickly found a use for the boomerang as a way to kill the smaller, electric ones, and to stun or knock loose the larger worms. But eventually, they had to turn back to the room they had first met in once more.

Link let out a frustrated huff. "This is getting us nowhere, now what?"

"Maybe if you let me lead the way," Ruto started, "we would have found it by now."

He clenched his fists and sucked in a breath but said nothing. _Don't argue_ , he reminded himself. _We still need to find a way out._

"You know," she continued, "I think there was still some places to look down there, if we land right." She punctuated her statement by pointing down at the holes in the organ lining.

That was… a fair point. Link tried to think back to which hole they had fallen through before. They were on the other side of the room now.

"Hey, wasn't there a tendril coming through here earlier?" Navi pointed out. Maybe that was one of the worms you killed, because It's gone now. It was… over here!" She flew forward to hover over a particular wound on the right.

Wordlessly, he lifted her up by the waist, despite her protests, and began to carry her to the hole. He dropped to his knees while holding her over the pit, then to his stomach, before he lowered her down first as carefully as he could, letting his grip slide until he was holding just her wrists before finally letting go.

Fortunately, the hole they fell through led to the highest ledge in the chamber below, giving them a chance to walk through the tunnel beyond.

The room they came to on the other side had a huge platform in the middle, bone-like structures sticking out of it. Once again, Link found himself wondering if this was normal.

"Look!" Ruto called out suddenly, pointing to something on the platform. "Up there! Throw me up there!"

Link followed the direction of her outstretched arm and caught a glimpse of something glimmering. Wordlessly, he lifted the zora once again and tossed her up so that she could crawl over to inspect the item.

As she reached the object, she let out a delighted cry before turning to hold it up. "That's it! Oh my goodness! I finally found it... "

Navi flew closer to get a better look. "It's the spiritual stone of water, right?"

"Wait, how do you know?" Ruto asked sharply. Then, deciding it did not matter that much, she continued. "My mother's stone… I got very upset when Lord Jabu-Jabu swallowed it…" She hesitated before crawling closer to the edge and sitting down. "While I was feeding him, he suddenly swallowed me up… I was so surprised I dropped it inside…"

Now Navi hesitated for a moment. "It sounds like it really means a lot to you…" A pause. "I know this is asking for a lot, but is there any chance that we could borrow it?"

"I'll… consider it." Ruto paused for a moment, before suddenly perking up as something occurred to her. "But, now that I've found it, I don't need to be in here anymore! So, take me home, right now!"

Link nodded quickly. Finally, they could figure out a way home. He reached out his arms to help her down, and she began to crawl forward. But before they could reach each other, the ground shifted below them. Link let out a gasp, losing his footing. As he looked up, the platform began to rise.

"No!" He cried out. He stumbled to his feet and rushed forward, grabbing hold of one of the bone structures as it rose into the air. With the other hand, he dug into the flesh, holding on for dear life.

Ruto scooted forward and held out an arm. "Take my hand! Hurry!"

Link struggled straining to raise his hand as the floor began to rush away from them, and the ceiling rushed closer. Finally, he managed to grab hold of Ruto's wrist. She scooted back, pulling, and managed to drag him up to safety just in time, just before he would have been caught between the two bits of flesh.

He let out a sigh of relief.

Unfortunately, the relief was short-lived. As he slowly looked up, away from Ruto's face, he realized that there was… something behind her. A large lump of mass, throbbing and pulsating. Tendrils stuck out from the top, worming their way into Jabu Jabu's flesh Around the wounds the flesh had turned a nasty, sickly color, with tendrils of the color spreading out around it.

Three of the tendrils were not worming their way into the flesh, however. At the ends of these were a cone of sorts that reminded Link a bit of a flower, with a pointed stinger in the middle. The three loose tentacles drooped, the conical ends twitching occasionally.

After a moment, Link realized that there was more to the monster than he first thought. On the lower part of the lump, more of the gelatinous creatures like the one that shocked him were resting, pulsing with energy occasionally.

"That's got to be what's causing Jabu Jabu's ailment," Navi whispered, putting what Link was thinking into words.

Link nodded. He looked back towards Ruto. She was staring with a glint of anger in her eyes, clutching the sacred stone to her chest. He began to move towards her. But as he shifted on the slimy, pulsating floor, the cone closest to them twitched and began to raise up, the other two following after. Navi was the first to notice.

"Guys _move!_ " she cried out.

Link scrambled to his feet and grabbed hold of Ruto's wrist, pulling her to her feet and dragging her to the side, ignoring her pained yelp as the bark of his skin scraped against bare flesh in the rush. They moved not a moment too soon; just as she was pulled away, electricity arced through the air, lighting the chamber, striking the spot they had been and leaving a blackened mark. The trio gagged at the smell of burnt flesh.

He kept moving. There was an exit at the far end of the room. He practically dragged Ruto along behind him, pulling her into the safer area.

Only then did he turn and run back into the chamber, stopping just a few feet away from the monstrous growth.

The cones quivered and shifted, trying to locate him. They would home in, and he would have to take off running again to avoid being zapped. He had to think quick; he couldn't get close to attack. And even if he could, the jelly monsters on the flesh would just shock him.

His slingshot would not be strong enough to cause any real damage with the seeds he had. He _could_ try throwing bombs, but as he reached for the bag that still held a few, Navi called out for him to stop.

"You can't throw those here!" she called out. "They'll hurt Jabu Jabu just as much as they'll hurt the monster. If not, more!"

He quickly stuffed the small sack back into his bag. Then what should he do?

He remembered the boomerang he had found earlier. On one hand, it was not exactly made for cutting and slicing. On the other, the jelly-like monsters could be cut into easily. If he could just expose the main mass…

He ducked out of the way of another bolt. It was worth a shot. He reached down to pull out the boomerang, turned and planted his feet, then tossed it.

The wooden weapon flew out in an arc, spinning faster than his eyes could easily keep up with. He rolled out of the way as one of the cones shot another bolt of electricity, the impact causing the flesh around them to wiggle and convulse.

The boomerang found its mark, the thin edges making contact with and cutting into the thin membrane keeping the jellyfish monsters in-tact. Both of the two it hit fell loose, deflating as the slimy contents inside the sac spilled out on the ground.

Link turned back and jumped to catch the returning boomerang in midair, suddenly thankful for his thick, barky skin. He dashed to the side and threw again, watching as more of the protective gelatinous blobs were cut loose. This time, when he caught the boomerang, he returned it to his belt and instead reached for his sword.

He dashed forward to close the gap, avoiding another strike of energy. But as he neared the beast, he slipped on the gelatinous remains of the creatures he had already killed. His momentum caused him to fall, sliding uselessly under the monster.

"Link, get up!"

As he slowed to a stop, Navi's alarmed call caused him to roll to the side. He scrambled to his feet, barely avoiding another electrical strike.

His sword. Where was his sword?

He spotted a glint of reflection back near the beast. He turned and ran back towards it, this time preparing himself for the slimy mess by dropping low, grabbing his sword as he slid by.

Back on his feet, he turned and charged back towards the monster. Again, he slid, but this time he kept a tight grip on his sword, jabbing it up into the bottom of the growth as he slid underneath. His blade found its mark, cutting deep enough into the flesh that by keeping hold of his sword, he managed to stop his momentum.

He rolled over and scrambled back to his feet, wrenching the blade free. Green blood spilled forth from the puncture.

The growth writhed and wiggled, all three of the attacking tentacles waving.

One strike wasn't enough. He sheathed his sword quickly, then jumped, digging his fingers into the writhing mass, holding on for dear life as he began his ascent higher on to the beast, all the way to the top.

The tendrils waved, trying to knock him loose. But he was used to scaling objects, even if usually those objects were mostly or completely stationary trees instead of writhing masses of flesh. Now at the top, he pulled himself up onto one of the tentacles attaching the growth to Jabu Jabu and began to hack at it, cutting it loose in a few short slices. As it began to break loose, he swung over to the next one, repeating the action.

As he prepared to move to the third one, however, he heard Ruto call out "Look out!"

He had no time to react as one of the attacking tentacles hit him square in the chest with a crack, sending him flying across the chamber.

He hit the ground hard, the only saving grace the elasticity of the flesh that made up the room. Everything hurt, but especially his chest. He was vaguely aware of Navi calling out his name nearby, shouting in hopes of getting his attention.

"Link! Link get up! You've got to move!"

He groaned, balling one hand into a fist. Slowly, he raised himself up on one elbow to look up. Only one main tentacle still held the beast up now.

But all three of its attacking stingers were aimed straight at him.

He was exhausted. But he couldn't let it end like this. He dragged himself up, forcing himself to his feet, and began to limp-run as quickly as he could.

Before he could get far, though, he heard a ripping noise. He glanced back up; the one tentacle was not enough to support its weight. It was ripping loose! Before he could be attacked again, it came loose, a gush of green blood spraying as it crashed to the ground, stunned.

This was his chance to end it. His sword. Where did his sword go now?

"Hey tree-brain!"

His attention whipped around to Ruto. She had emerged from her hiding spot and was limping towards him. Holding out his sword. He closed the distance between them as quickly as possible and accepted the sword with grateful hum.

Then he turned his attention back to the monster. This was his last chance; his strength wouldn't last much longer. He pushed himself forward, nearly stumbling once, and forced himself to approach the beast. Then, before the stingers could get at him, he plunged his sword into it, as deep as he could. He put his boot on the flesh to brace himself and pulled, tugging the sword free. Then again at another spot. And another. The growth writhed beneath him, the tentacles flailing. But slowly the more he stabbed, the weaker it became. Until finally, its struggles ceased entirely.

He backed up as he caught sign of a flicker of mystic flame out of the corner of his eye. The flame spread quickly, the monster bloating as it burned away to nothing, its curse broken.

Link slumped, exhausted. It… it was done, finally. Finally, they could leave. He caught sight of Ruto approaching cautiously, and of a blue circle of light forming.

But then his strength failed him, and he fell. He heard Navi call out his name as she landed on his chest, his sticky, sappy chest.

"I'm alright," he mumbled. "Just… give me five minutes…"

And then he blacked out.

* * *

 _ **A/N:** So you're probably wondering why I cut about the last third of the dungeon and had the fight against Barinade where the big octo fight usually would be. It boils down to the fact that that whole portion just didn't add any to the written story as a whole, and would have required this chapter to cut off right after the big octo fight, or made this chapter drag out in a way I didn't see necessary._

 _Also, Ruto's a bit mean to Link, ain't she? I made an effort to balance stuck up, stubborn princess traits with more childish traits. Hopefully it landed at least decently._


	16. Falling Apart

**_A/N:_** _I forgot to mention it last week, but this fic has now received Fanart from a couple of people. Please check either tumblr, or the AO3 version of this fic for links._

* * *

 _Falling Apart_

* * *

Link's body felt abnormally heavy and sluggish when he came to, his head a haze. He noted that he felt chilled, and soaked to his core. Slowly, his vision began to return to him.

He was lazing on a root nearly as large as those of the Deku Tree on his stomach, limbs hanging limply over the side. Deep water spread out below him, with no land in sight. He groaned, reaching a hand up to his head before slowly trying to push himself up into a sitting position.

"Took you long enough to wake up."

Link startled, grabbing hold of the bark beneath him. His gaze shifted to the side. Ruto was seated a few feet away from him, legs crossed, watching him with puffed-out cheeks. "Honestly, I was starting to think you would never wake up."

"Oh, thank goodness you're awake Link!" Navi zipped by from behind the princess. Link caught himself wondering what they had been talking about without him.

"We've been waiting for _forever_ ," Ruto bemoaned, stressing the last word as if it was such a burden to wait. Link averted his gaze. "Honestly, I should have left you behind with all the trouble you caused me!"

He flinched, but then her tone softened, if only just a little. "Although… You looked cool...cooler than I thought you would, anyway, for a common spirit... But only just a little!"

She slowly stood up and stretched, looking over to Link with a mischievous glance, then moved her arms to clasp her hands behind her back. "Well, anyway, you saved me back there, and probably saved Lord Jabu Jabu too, so I guess I'll reward you." She turned to pick something that had been hidden from his view by her, then turned to hold out the glistening blue stone she had picked up earlier. "Navi said you guys needed to borrow this?"

Link stared for a minute, then nodded quickly. "O-oh! Oh yes we do!"

Ruto smiled coyly. "Well… First of all. My mother gave it to me and said I should give it only to the man who will be my husband. You might call it the Zora's Engagement Ring! Are you prepared for that kind of commitment?"

To that, Link only tilted his head. What the heck was marriage?

Fortunately, Navi came to the rescue, avoiding any awkward conversations. " _Ruto,_ we already went over why that wouldn't work. Besides, we don't intend to keep it forever, just long enough to help save Hyrule!"

To that, the zora giggled. "I know, I know. I couldn't help but tease a little though. All that's true, but I suppose I could let it be borrowed for a bit, so long as you promise to return it as soon as possible. Just… don't tell my dad, alright?"

Link nodded quickly and eagerly. Of course! Anything to get it! Anything to be able to finish their quest.

With his agreement, Ruto held the stone out in both hands, Link accepting it with both of his.

He slowly turned it over in his hands, taking in the stone's details. Three carefully chiseled blue stones, identical to each other had been set together in a triangular cluster within a golden bevel, small golden lumps separating the stone's insets.

After stashing the stone away with the others, he carefully stood up, ignoring the aches in his body as he found his balance.

Only then did he stop to question how he was going to leave.

In the distance, he could see the stone platform that he had been on before being sucked up by Jabu Jabu. Speaking of the sacred sprit, the giant fish was nowhere to be seen, though he suspected that he was swimming somewhere in the depths of the pool. As far as he knew, the only way out was back past the Zora King, and he doubted they would take lightly to his passing through again, even with Ruto to back him up.

If she _would_ back him up.

He turned his gaze to Ruto. But before he could open his mouth to say something, she spoke up.

"Let me guess," she started in a sing-song voice, rocking back on her heels a couple times. "You need a distraction so you can get out of here? Navi told me all about it while you were out cold. Just leave it to me." Without explaining, she backflipped off the root, landing in the water with a big splash before swimming to the surface. "How good are you at swimming?"

Link gave her a shrug. "Good enough, I guess."

"How long can you hold your breath?"

He gave Navi a sideways glance. "Do I breathe?"

Navi hummed in response. "I think you do? But the question is do you _need_ to, to live?"

"I dunno?"

"Well the _point is,_ " Ruto cut in, that there's an underwater tunnel back in Zora's Domain. I can distract a bunch of people, and you two can sneak out through there."

"Hold on," Navi said. "Link _might_ not need to breathe, but I _do._ How are both supposed to go through this tunnel?"

Ruto hummed in thought, then her face lit up. "Oh! I have an idea!" She flipped and dove under the water, diving for the floor of the pool. When she returned a moment later, she held out two items: a jar just a bit bigger than Link could comfortably carry in one hand, complete with a cork stopper, and a large, silvery scale.

"You could use these! I have a few of these bottles down there. Navi can stay inside the bottle while you swim through, then you can let her out when you get to Lake Hylia."

Navi visibly shuddered, making a jingling noise, and on Link. "I'm not so sure about that… wouldn't it be better for us to just leave through the main entrance?"

Ruto shook her head. "Even though you have to have connections to come in, the front is always watched by at least one zora. But no one but us, or people with a direct blessing from us, can get through the underwater cave. It's too far for most hylians to swim."

Link gave Navi a sideways glance "Couldn't that hurt her though?" he questioned.

"Not for that little of time. Hylians stick fairies in bottles all the time, in case they're mortally wounded.

Link did not look at all convinced, but he nodded regardless. "What about the scale?"

"This is a zora treasure," Ruto explained. "We share them with hylians that earn our trust and admiration for their skill in the water. It douesn't let you breathe underwater, but it will protect you for a short time, so long as you have it close by."

"Well… Navi began slowly. "If you don't think there's any other way…"

"Not without being chased halfway across Hyrule by a bunch of angry zoras."

Navi let out a sigh. "This could have been prevented if we had just talked to the King in the first place, instead of trying to sneak past like we were up to no good. Are you sure about this?" Link winced and turned his head.

"I'm sure it's fine," the girl said. "It takes zoras maybe a minute to swim through. I'm sure it'll take you longer, but with everyone's attention on me, that should be plenty of time."

Link finally nodded and relented. It was not like he had a better solution, he supposed. After a moment, he hopped off into the water, swimming for shore as quickly as he could. The longer he was in the water, the more the water seeped into the bark and wood that made up his outer layer, and the higher the risk of rot, if he was not careful.

It took Ruto maybe a minute to swim to shore, and him perhaps twice as long. For the moment, Navi flew overhead, not eager to enter the bottle until it was necessary. He took a moment to shake off and squeeze out as much water as possible once they reached the stone pier he had stepped out onto before. Sure, it really did not make that much of a difference, since he was just going to get wet again soon, but it made him feel a little better. He'd have to sit out in the sun for hours after this to get to a more natural water level: not so wet that he'd rot, but not so dry that he'd catch fire easier.

Ruto left first, limping back into the cave opening he'd come out from before. He followed a little way behind, giving her enough space to lure any zoras away, to keep their attention.

As he neared the throne room, he could already hear the commotion.

"Princess Ruto! You're safe!"

"Princess Ruto has returned!"

"By Nayru's Love, you've returned to us!"

The king's back was to him, and the king attention was to his right. He took that to mean that Ruto was to that side. Slowly and carefully, so as to avoid making a splash, he approached and slipped past. Several Zoras had spilled into the room, all eyes on Ruto. She seemed to be soaking in the attention, as her injury was attended to.

"Oh, it was _horrible_ " she groaned, bringing the back of her hand up against her forehead. "Poor Jabu Jabu had been infected with evil parasites and had swallowed me up on accident as a result of them messing with his head!"

Link let out a sigh of relief as he made his way down the stairs, not a zora in sight. Though voices still filtered from above.

"I knew that kid in the green was up to no good. He was probably involved in this whole near disaster. Princess Ruto, did you happen to see a monster wearing green while you were in there?"

Link paused, listening, hesitating, needing to know how Ruto would respond.

There was a moment of hesitation in her voice. "Well… I didn't encounter a _monster… but..._ "

He continued to move, not wanting to listen further. Not wanting to risk letting himself be hurt more.

The route Ruto had mentioned to him led him back down the stairs in the same general direction as where he had caught the small fish he had used as a gift for Jabu Jabu. It had to have been less than a day since he'd done that, but it already felt so far away.

As he neared the location however, he took a sharp right, avoiding the shop and any zoras that might have been there, heading towards the deeper water. He paused at the water's edge, and pulled the bottle out, carefully peeling out the cork.

"Are you ready?" He asked Navi.

"As I'm going to be," she replied in a voice tinged with anxiety. She carefully landed inside the bottle and waited for Link to seal it back up. It wasn't totally airtight, the cork a bit small, but it was airtight enough to keep her safe for how long they expected to be down there. Once he was satisfied with how secure it was, he carefully placed the jar in his bag. Silently, he lamented the fact that his whole bag was not waterproof, risking water damage to most of his stuff. At least the bomb bag appeared to be, at least.

He could see the pillars Ruto had told him to look for below. With only a second's hesitation, he jumped, bubbles escaping past him as he sank towards the tunnel. Then he began to swim.

Surprisingly, the tunnel was fairly well lit, luminous algae giving the walls a faint blue-green glow.

He was left with his thoughts for a moment as he swam. It allowed him to think about what the zoras had expected out of him. And what Ruto had thought of him. It gave him time to think about how Navi had not come to his defense and had instead told him to just put up with it until they found their way out. He wondered if Navi thought of him as a monster too.

Soon, fortunately, he began to see brightness up ahead. He propelled himself forward, towards the light, eager to be out of the cramped, underwater space.

The waterway opened up into deep water. He quickly propelled toward the surface, sputtering out water as he breached. He turned his head this way and that, finding the closest shore, and paddled towards it. Once he was completely on dry land, he flopped. Only then did he fumble for his bag and pull the bottle he had held Navi in, releasing her back to the world.

She shook, flicking off a bit of water that had seeped through. "Never again. That was terrible." She turned her attention to Link. "It looks like it's…. Early afternoon? Wow, we were in there longer than I thought. Why don't we go up that hill over there and rest for a while? It should give you a chance to dry out."

Link groaned at the prospect of getting up, especially when his limbs felt so heavy and burdened, but he sat up anyways, then climbed to his feet and trudged up hill, just beyond two small fields of crops. There, he flopped down once again.

Navi landed on his chest. "Sleep well, Link."

* * *

" _Saria?"_

 _Link spotted the kokiri girl laying on her stomach a good distance away. Why would she choose to take a nap here, out in the open forest? When she did not respond, he began to walk towards her. The space between them seemed to stretch out, and for a time it seemed like he would never reach her. He began to run. But it made no distance. He grew no closer._

 _But then suddenly, he was there._

" _Saria?"_

 _She did not respond when he spoke her name. Perhaps she really was asleep. But she had fallen asleep at such an awkward angle... He reached down to lift her, to try and reposition her._

 _And recoiled and dropped her when he realized how stiff, how cold she was. When he noticed her open, hazy eyes._

 _He looked down. His hands were covered in blood._

 _He screamed._

* * *

Link jerked awake with a start, accidently throwing a sleeping Navi off of his chest. She let out an alarmed cry, tumbling through the air as she tried to right herself. It took him a moment to realize that he was still at the lake. Still laying out in the sun, though the sun was already starting to set now.

Navi groaned on the ground a short distance away, before slowly raising back into the air. "Link, are you okay? We aren't being attacked, are we?"

The skull kid shook his head slowly. "No," he said. "... Nightmare."

"I see. Do you want to Talk about it?"

"Not really."

She said nothing in response to that, instead returning to rest in his lap. He was quiet for a while. Content to sit in silence. Well, content enough, even though it gave his mind a chance to dwell on his nightmare.

"Are you hungry?" She finally asked.

He shrugged in response.

"I'll go look and see if I can find us some food around here. Why don't you stay here and relax for a bit? I'll come get you once I find something."

"Okay…"

The fairy took to the air, brushing up against Link's cheek for a moment before taking off higher into the air, leaving Link alone, to stew on his thoughts, to think about his dream.

He'd been unwilling to talk about it with Navi at the moment, too stressed, too disturbed. Too afraid that he might have killed Saria in the dream.

Too afraid that she would tell him how much of a monster he was. How right the dream was about him. Monsters killed people, and if he was a monster…

Food would distract him, maybe. What was taking Navi so long? He looked up from his wallowing and was reminded of the field in front of him. He was used to taking fruit, nuts, and berries from the trees of the forest, but that was food too, wasn't it? Whoever was growing this probably wouldn't miss just one plant, right?

He stood up and cleared the space between himself and the plowed field and decided to just pluck a plant off the end, a stubby green plant with small purple flowers at the top. He pulled at it and, to his surprise, felt more resistance than expected. He tugged, and then dug a bit into the dirt and to his surprise, found a network of fist-sized brown lumps in the roots. He was quick to pull them all loose. Satisfied, he took the plant down to the lake's edge to wash off some of the dirt.

Technically, he could have just ate it as-is, but he did not care for the taste of dirt. As the lumps in the root system had been the most substantial part of the plant, he decided to try that, taking a big bite with a satisfying crunch.

The plant had an earthy and somewhat watery taste. Link quickly decided he did not care much for it but finished off the lump he'd been eating regardless. Sitting the rest to the side of the water.

"Link!" He heard Navi call out somewhere behind him. He turned back to see the fairy flying at him at a surprisingly quick pace.

"There you are. Are… did you steal someone's potato plant?"

Link looked to the fairy, then back to the plant he'd eaten from. An excuse… he needed an excuse… On impulse, he grabbed the plant and threw it as far as he could into the lake.

"What plant?"

Navi let out a long, frustrated sigh, deciding not to try and debate him. Her tone when she spoke was notably disappointed, however.

"Never mind, just… since you seem like you already ate, why don't we get going. If we leave now, I think we could make it to the castle by morning."

Link wilted just a bit at her tone. Normally, he wouldn't mind the judgement of his mischief. He and Skull Kid did it all the time, and it was all fun. But after his encounter with the zoras, after his last two nightmares, after being judged by nearly everyone - at least, it felt like nearly everyone - since he had left the forest… it stung more than he would like to admit.

"Okay," he said quietly, standing up. He took a second to dust himself off. His clothing was basically dry now, and he had even dried out somewhat, feeling just a bit lighter. Enough to make him not feel sluggish, at least.

He let Navi take the lead as they made their way back up the hill away from the lake. Only then did he notice the single, large building nestled by the lake. He wondered if they were the one that had planted the fields. It seemed like the most logical answer.

Only once they had left the lake behind them did Navi speak up.

"So, Link…" she began slowly. He flinched at the tone. "You know it's not okay to take other people's things, right?"

He hesitated but nodded.

"Then why did you do it?" When he said nothing, she added, "why did you take that potato plant from the field."

He was quiet for a moment, before responding in a soft, but blunt voice, "I was hungry."

Navi jingled, and flew lower so that she was eye-level with Link.

"I understand being hungry," she admitted slowly. "But you still can't take other people's things." When he said nothing, she sighed and flew higher up again.

"I don't like getting on to you, Link. I know being mischievous is in your nature. But there's a difference between mischief and being mean. And taking other people's stuff is mean. Taking other people's stuff is something that… well, something that monsters and bad guys do."

The one comment he dreaded. That one offhand comment that could hurt so much. The idea that Navi viewed him as a monster too. As she continued flying ahead, talking, oblivious to the fact that he had stopped, the world felt like it swirled. He did not want to be here. He wanted to be somewhere far away. Even being alone back at the lake would be better than being berated.

His gaze shifted to a cove of trees and undergrowth in the distance. And in that moment, he knew he where he could go to escape.

"I know it's hard for you Link, but you have to try if you want to fit in the world outside forest. Do you understand Link?"

Her question was met with silence.

"Link?"

Navi turned to look back at the skull kid, but Link was gone.

* * *

Ganondorf was having an… _unpleasant_ day, to say the least.

His morning had started out well enough; Breakfast with the royal family had proven invaluable, a look at just how much trust the king had put into him, even if his daughter had not. When the young princess had lashed out at him, insisting that he was a monster of ill intentions, she had just been sent away, and he had been apologized to. _That_ much had gone not just according to plan, but even better than expected. It worked in his favor, that the king had so much faith in him and so little in his daughter.

No, it was after he left the castle that things had gone downhill.

His first stop had been the Goron City in hopes that perhaps Darunia's stubborn pride would have given in by now. Even if they had cleared the front levels of the mines, the dodongos under his influence would have pushed back, and hopefully driven them back out. He had traveled alone on horseback, leaving his horse in the care of a young redheaded woman in Kakariko as he continued up the mountain on foot.

But when he arrived, he could quickly tell things had gone even further off of his plans than expected. Instead of starving like he had hoped and expected, the gorons were flourishing. Darunia would not even meet with him! He left the city with nothing to show for it, not even a glimpse at the ruby to assure it was still there.

His next stop had been the edge of the Lost Woods, where he met with a couple of allied mad scrubs. The news there had been mediocre, at best. On the positive side, he had managed to best the Deku Tree. Leaving the sacred Kokiri Forest exposed to the evils of the world. On the other hand, he had lost Queen Gohma - a valuable, if expendable ally. And to top things off, the Sacred Stone of the forest had been nowhere to be found, likely hidden amongst the forest folk, or else sent off to be hidden somewhere.

He gave to the scrubs a glass bottle filled with cursed seeds that he, Koume, and Kotake had created. Seeds that they could plant in the forest to curse the ground, to allow wicked things to take root and drive out the useless kokiri, so that he might give his allies a new base to operate from. He promised to send in moblin guards as soon as he could get his forces into castle town as well.

After a short lunch of salted, provisioned beef and day-old buttered bread, he had decided it was time to check up on the last of his projects; the curse on Jabu Jabu.

Spreading the curse was easy enough; all he had to do was infect a handful of fish in Lake Hylia, and then allow those fish to make it to Zora's Domain, to become part of Jabu Jabu's meal. With them, he sent a few persuasive words. _Find the blue stone. Take it by any means necessary. Or take the girl captive, her rescue would pay handsomely._ Now it was time to see how much good all his hard work had done. Hopefully better than the previous two, at least.

He made his way up the broken, winding trail towards Zora's Domain in silence. The hylians apparently did not see fit to travel this way very often, as the path was broken and in disarray. It made sense; in all the time he had been working to get on the king's good side, to influence him, he had only heard of zoras visiting the castle, not of castle guard visiting their homeland.

How ironic, that they would treat their historical allies only slightly better than his people.

Upon reaching the waterfall at the end, he reached into a satchel at his side and pulled out a piece of parchment with the crest of the royal family on it. "Hear me, zora guard," he began in a deep, commanding voice. "My name is Ganondorf. I come here bearing the crest of the royal family of Hyrule. I am here to request an audience with your king. Please, provide me with entry, so that I may fulfill this request."

A pause. The waterflow slowed a few seconds later, just enough for him to come through.

Zora's domain was absolutely beautiful. He would do what he could to spare this place once he rose to power, even if he did nothing to spare its people.

He found the domain surprisingly quiet. The only zora he saw was the single guard watching the entrance, who seemed shocked to see who he was, but quickly hid his surprise.

Ganondorf bowed slightly to the guard. "Good afternoon, dear zora, I trust everything is going well?"

The guard nodded quickly. Perhaps a bit too quickly. Perhaps trying to hurry on out of this conversation. "Much better than we could have hoped, sir. Can I… Help you with something? Or actually, can I see the crest you mentioned?"

"Of course," he replied, letting his voice drip with honey. He pulled the paper free again and held it up for the zora, speaking in the meantime. "I would hope everything is going well with your people." Privately, however, the statement gave him a twinge of concern. Had his attempt to infect Jabu Jabu failed? "Could you perhaps allow me an audience with your king?"

The zora gave him a nod to the paper, allowing him to put it away. "I can direct you to his room, but I cannot promise he will have time to speak," the zora said.

Ganondorf frowned slightly, putting on a show. He hoped it was for reasons he had set up. "Really, how so. Is all alright?"

"Well enough," the zora explained. "Princess Ruto has returned to us after a several-day disappearance." He lowered his voice slightly. "She claims to have been eaten by Jabu Jabu, and then helped by a heroic forest spirit and fairy, but you didn't hear it from me."

 _That is… concerning,_ Ganondorf thought to himself. But out loud he instead said, "I'm glad to hear that the princess is safe. Is there anything else I may know about the situation? Perhaps there's something I can do to be of assistance?"

"Nothing else I can tell you that isn't strictly zora business, sir."

He fought the urge to scowl. "I see. I'll go ahead and try my luck with the king."

After a quick explanation of directions, the gerudo was on his way up. His cape billowed behind him as he took the ramp upwards, a dark shadow amongst the bright blues and greys of the cave.

As he neared the top though, he stopped, voices catching his attention. He moved to sidle up against the wall in an attempt to appear as if he was resting, waiting, when in fact he was listening carefully to the conversation going on.

"So, you're telling me that this forest spirit just happened to just come in, kill as many parasites as possible while also protecting you, and then ran off?" One voice said.

"Yep, that's what happened!" a younger voice replied.

"Ruto… as much as I want to believe you, sweetheart… what kind of motivation could he have had for helping you? Are you certain it wasn't a trick? How do you know he wasn't the one who infected Jabu Jabu in the first place, to gain your trust?" He suspected that the third voice must be the king, from the affection in his tone towards Ruto and the strong, commanding tone of voice.

"That's absolutely silly, father. What good would it do him to do that?"

"Perhaps he was an agent of darkness," the king pointed out. "He could have been trying to get our sacred stone, in hopes of entering the sacred realm."

"Why… what purpose would that serve him? Besides, he had a fairy with him. Fairies are blessed by the goddesses, aren't they?"

Ganondorf heard it, the hesitation in Ruto's voice. He remained still, not wanting to draw attention. If a spirit with a fairy had come here… could it be related to Gohma's demise? Could it be why they did not find the sacred stone in the forest? It seemed too likely to be coincidence.

"Ruto, you know the story passed down in our family. That stone is one of the three keys to access the sacred realm, the location of one of the most power artifacts in the world. I know that it is best to give people the benefit of the doubt, like I've taught you. But when it comes to a stone that unlocks that great of power, we can't afford to take chances. Do you understand?"

"...Yes daddy…"

The overheard conversation gave him everything he needed to know. His mind was troubled as he turned and headed back down the path, back towards the exit. The zora guard caught him on the way out.

"Ah, any luck?"

"Oh, he was quite busy," Ganondorf replied carefully. "I will just have to return another day. Thank you for allowing me to visit your beautiful domain."

"We are both allies of Hyrule, gerudo. It was my pleasure to let you see our home."

Ganondorf nodded. "Indeed. I look forward to my next visit."

With that, he left, hurrying down the dilapidated path as soon as he was out of sight. His mind began to work quickly.

Someone had begun gathering the stones, right under his nose. A spirit… He had seen a forest spirit around the castle not that long ago, had he not? And if he had been gathering up the stones, especially if he was gathering them at Zelda's request…

He would have to move his plans into action sooner than expected.

The king would fall, and so would the princess. He would do anything in his quest for power. Even if it meant killing a child.

Even if it meant shedding his humanity.

* * *

Link was not sure how he managed to end up in the cove of trees (though upon future introspection he would realize that he had managed to use magic under the pressure of the moment.) Despite that, he did not stop to think about it. Instead he started walking away from where he thought he left Navi. Anger, frustration, hurt, and other emotions clouded his judgement. He did not want to talk to her. He did not want to be with her. He just wanted to be alone for a time.

Even though he knew he needed to take the stones back to the castle, that was not enough to sway him to turn back. Not right now. Why did he need Navi to go with him anyways? Why should he bother to go back at all? He kept walking in silence for a while, glancing back behind him every so often, watching for Navi. The only thing that gave him a general idea of the direction he was walking was glances of the moon that he got through the branches.

Soon, he found the trees and brush thinning out. On the horizon, he could just barely make out the outline of a large stone wall. After a moment of introspection, it occurred to him he'd seen this before He not be far from the forest he called home, as he had passed the crumbling stone wall on his way to the castle.

For a moment, he considered turning away, heading back to the forest. Skull kid would not care; holding all three stones, he would be hidden away from Ganondorf, and the two of them could go back to old times. But Saria…

He could not bring himself to disappoint Saria.

He began to walk across the field towards the stone wall. Navi was nowhere in sight… perhaps she had doubled back to see if he had gone back towards the lake? It did not matter. He could do this without her. What all had she done for him anyways, besides gripe at him about the things he did?

She _did_ watch his back a few times, and she _did_ sometimes give him advice on how to fight monsters...And she had gone to get the potion lady when he had been injured in Dodongo's Cavern, had she not?

...But still, he could do most of those things without her. He could take care of himself, watch his own back, and figure out how to fight enemies on his own.

He passed the wall on the left side, climbing up a hill. He had a general idea of where to go next, but even with the light his eyes gave off, and his decent night vision, he could not see the silhouette of the castle in the dark from here. He rubbed a thumb against the hilt of his sword nervously. He needed to find shelter, probably. At least till daylight.

As he looked to his left, he realized that there was a dark blotch against the starry night sky, of something raising up and blocking out hundreds of the tiny twinkling stars. There. He would make his way there and see what it was, then perhaps rest there before moving on.

His trip was mostly quiet, except when he occasionally hummed a tune to break the silence. Nothing dared to bother him out here. He wondered if he would see the stallchildren, but they seemed oddly quiet tonight. Or else, they only stayed near the castle town. On one hand, the companionship sounded nice, and they would at least understand his struggle of appearing monstrous in the eyes of many. On the other, he kind of wanted to be left alone, left to stew on his feelings in silence.

At one point, he thought he heard the sound of something big racing across the open fields, thought he caught a glance of a hooded figure riding with haste atop a dark beast, a lamp bouncing at their side, giving him just enough light to make out that much of their features. He made sure to steer clear of them, veering even further towards the tall structure in the distance. Not wanting to risk starting an altercation.

As he made his way closer to the structure, he realized that the majority of it was not a structure, but a hill, sloping steeply up to its crest. The top had been mostly leveled off, a tall, wood and metal fence surrounding the top where the sheer stone walls did not He made his way around the structure until he found a gentler slope leading to an opening- a gate that had been left open.

He knew he should not be here – Navi would have been scolding him insistently – but curiosity convinced him to step inside.

Inside of the fencing were a few long buildings, each one dark and unlit. Following the path between them led him to a small pasture surrounded by a smaller, more open fence with the gate closed. A well-trodden path surrounded the gate, giving him a sense that this area was used a lot for something.

He made his way over to the fence it surrounded. In the field were large animals like he'd never seen before with long, thick necks and thin muscular legs, and with a tail made of hair, similar hair sprouting from the back of their neck. They reminded him of the beast he had seen racing across Hyrule Field just a short while ago.

"Navi what are they?" He asked out loud. Then he remembered he had left Navi behind. Right… He shook his head quickly before grabbing hold of the wood fencing and scrambled over. Never mind Navi, he did not need her to deal with this.

He tried to approach one of the animals, curious, wanting to find out more, but as it caught sight of him approaching, it whinnied and took off across the field. He started to give chase, but stopped himself when he caught sight of another, smaller animal of the same type nearby. It pawed at the ground with one foot, watching him as he approached. Unlike the bigger animal, it allowed him to come all the way up to it as it huffed air. He slowly moved to its side, and carefully began to reach out a hand.

Apparently, it was not too keen on the idea of being touched, however. Before his hand could reach, it turned and bucked, a powerful back foot kicking him in the stomach, knocking him back several feet. He cried out and quickly clutched where he had been hit, wincing.

"What was that for?" He hissed to the animal. Was it because it did not trust him? Was it because of what he was?

The animal did not answer, only turning to race off to the far side of the field.

Link wheezed as he edged away from the group of animals, now less keen to approach. He could make out an odd structure on the other side of the field, away from the animals. He began to hobble towards it. As he got closer, he could tell that it was a wooden structure, open on three sides, only closed against the gate. It had a simple flat roof, and two benches underneath. He decided to sit down for a moment, to look over the damage.

As he lifted up his tunic, he could feel a bit of sticky sap sticking to it. Fortunately, his hard exterior had managed to take the brunt of the blow, and the damage seemed only barely more surface level, though small cracks in the bark allowed sap to ooze out, attempting to seal the wound. He decided to quickly change back into the cleaner goron tunic, pants and all, rolling the tunic up high enough so that it would avoid getting sticky.

Unfortunately, there was not enough space between the bench and the wall for him to lie there, so he decided to lay down on the wooden surface, finding it uneven, but no more uneven than what he was used to.

It was weird, resting like this without Navi after the last two weeks. Peaceful in some ways, but uneasy in others. Quiet, but perhaps too quiet. He could keep going to the castle, but it would make no sense to keep going until the sap had time to try, and until daylight so that he could tell where he was going.

So, with those thoughts in mind, Link fell into a fitful, uneasy sleep.

* * *

Malon liked to wake up early. Earlier than her night-owl father, earlier than grumpy old Ingo, earlier even than the morning sun.

As usual she went through her morning routine: stretch, brush her hair, put on her dress and boots, eat a light breakfast of bread and cheese - something simple just to tide her over until everyone else woke up - and then go out into the field to check on the horses.

It had been her routine for two years now, but she had found special importance in it in the last few months, since beautiful young Epona had been born. The young filly had been skittish and distrusting from the day she was born. To everyone but her at least. She hoped that by spending time with her in the fields, she would slowly convince her to open up more to strangers.

She hummed a little tune as she tiptoed out the door, closing it softly behind her with a quiet click. The sun was just barely starting to rise, tinging the sky grey-blue, but not yet high enough to give it a rosy morning glow. She was light on her feet as she made her way down to the fields, tilting her head from side to side in rhythm with the song she was humming.

But as she approached the horse field and carefully undid the gate, she began to feel as if something was off. Something was different in the field. Scrutinizing the field gave her insight as to what was setting off alarms in her head; all of the horses had gathered at one end of the field, some scraping a hoof across the ground, one letting out a nervous whinny. Epona stayed near the edge of the group.

A few of the horses looked up as she stepped inside and closed the gate behind her. She had been raised around the majestic creatures; she could not fear them. But how anxious they were behaving worried her. She did a quick headcount, in case a wolfos had somehow inside and slain one. She was always worrying one would get inside, with her dad always leaving the gate open. But all of the horses were accounted for. So, she turned her attention to the side of the field unoccupied and began to cautiously walk towards it down the center.

At first, nothing seemed out of the ordinary, and she began to think maybe someone had just left a pitchfork laying around and it had spooked the horses, or perhaps a snake had passed through. But as she turned her attention to the little bench shelter from the rain her father had built a while ago, she finally caught sight of what was _probably_ the source of the horses' anxiety, something she could only barely make out in the early-morning light.

Laying on the far bench was a small, dark figure, clothed in red.

Malon stopped in her tracks, watching the figure cautiously. Who were they? Why was there someone here? Why was there an intruder in their farm? She stood frozen for several minutes, watching the figure. But when they never moved, her fear turned to curiosity. Slowly, she crossed the remainder of the field until she was close to the stranger.

Their skin was rough - she was not sure if it really classified as skin, as it had more the texture of bark and wood. They were wearing a red tunic, along with brown trousers that seemed perhaps a bit big on them. A long, pointed hat hung off the side. She could not make out where their mouth actually was, or if they had a mouth at all. And where there should have been eyes, there were only two blank sockets.

As she stared the stranger down, it occurred to her that she was pretty sure she had seen him before, not that long ago, back near Hyrule Castle when she was waiting for her dad.

As she looked over the creature - a skull kid, she thought she remembered him calling himself, what was his name again? Her attention was turned to his stomach, where his tunic had been pulled up. The wood there was cracked at a single point of impact, an amber substance having oozed up from the cracks. She tentatively placed a hand over it, noting that the substance was a bit sticky, but mostly dry, and pushed down just a little.

The boy sat up with a gasp.

She let out a squeak, pulling back her hand quickly. His eyes had flickered to life, two glowing blue orbs inside the previously empty sockets.

The two nervously stared each other down for a moment, until recognition finally seemed to flare in the skull kid's eyes.

"You're… Malon, right?"

So, he did have a mouth. That's right, he had to have, to have played music before. Malon nodded slowly, carefully, trying to think back to the boy's name. "Yes… and your name was… Link, right?"

"Mhm..." He said slowly.

She considered her options for a moment. He couldn't stay here; he was scaring the horses! And she doubted Ingo would take well to him being here, and even her father would be skeptical of letting a forest monster stay around.

"You're hurt," she stated. "What happened?"

"I got kicked by the, um…." He gestured his hands wildly for a moment, trying to describe something before just pointing to the herd. "By the small animal when I tried to pet it. It's really not that bad though."

"You tried to pet Epona?" She tilted her head. No wonder he'd been kicked! She reached down to grab his hand. "Well, don't feel bad, Epona doesn't trust anyone except me. You can rest a while if you want, but you can't stay here in the pasture. Come with me."

Link stared at her hand for a moment, seeming skeptical, but he went ahead and rose up.

Malon lead him back through the gate, and back around the pasture to a tall building on the far side. When she opened it, he found himself in a small room full of wooden crates and hay.

She gave the skull kid a grin. "If you need some time to feel better, you can stay here. Dad and Ingo don't have to come in here for a couple of days, so you should be safe to hide out."

Link nodded slowly. "...Thank you."

She giggled, watching him settle into a pile of hay with her hands behind her back. "Okay, wait here, I'm going to go get you some bandages, so you don't get that sticky sap stuff all over your clothes."

Without waiting for an answer, she left the building, racing back across the field back to her house. The sun was now actually peeking over the horizon. She would have to hurry if she wanted to get done and get back without raising suspicion, especially under Ingo's watchful eye. He was a funny man, Ingo, always whining about the work and complaining to himself. But for the most part, he was harmless.

The door creaked open. She tried to walk across the wooden floors as quietly as possible, making an attempt to avoid particularly creaky boards. It only took her a moment to find a roll of bandages. With them in hand, she made another trip across the fields.

As she opened the door, she found Link had set up a pile of hay against one of the crates and had sat himself down against it. He had the ocarina he had been playing on the day she had met him in hand, brushing a thumb against the wooden surface.

She quietly cleared her throat to get his attention. He looked up quickly, then stashed the instrument away in his bag, shifting to sit up.

Malon took a seat to his side and adjusted his tunic before carefully beginning to wrap the bandages around his torso. As she worked, she attempted to make conversation. "So, forest boy, have you learned any new songs lately?"

Link shook his head slowly and said nothing.

She frowned, continuing to work in silence. But after a moment another conversation starter came to her head. "Say… wasn't there a fairy with you before? Where is she?"

Link flinched and lowered his head. For a moment, Malon expected him to not answer, or to perhaps say something had happened to the fairy. But finally, he answered in a monotonous voice. "She… We went separate ways last night, that's all."

She watched as he clenched a fist around the fabric of his trousers and suspected there was more to it than what he said, but decided not to press the matter, instead turning to a more lighthearted question, patting the wrappings as she finished them off. "So, these clothes are a lot nicer than the ones I saw before. Where did you get them?"

"Hm?" He looked up, taking a minute to process the question. "Oh, they were a gift from the gorons. They're supposed to be blessed with magic that protects whoever's wearing it from heat and flames. Or something like that."

"You got to meet gorons? That's so cool!" She paused to place the remaining bandages in his bag and noticed that a lot of what was inside had become waterlogged, so she instead pulled everything out to dry, noting that most of the food was ruined, and turned the bag inside-out. "So, what brought you to Lon Lon ranch anyways?"

"I was on my way back to the castle," Link admitted. "Sort of. I wanted to stop and… rest for a bit first, I guess."

"Hm..." Malon frowned, staring at him for a moment, before a cucco's crow caught her attention. She shook her head, stood up, and dusted off her dress. "Well, I don't think you're telling me the whole truth, but I'm not going to push it right now. I have to go now, stay here, alright? I'll try and bring you something to eat tonight after dark."

The skull kid seemed to shrink in on himself, turning his head to look away and bringing his arms up close to his chest. But he nodded slowly in response. "Oh, okay…"

Satisfied enough, Malon turned to the door and stepped outside, giving Link one last look before clicking the door shut.

* * *

Most of Link's day was spent laying restlessly. He considered contacting Saria and Skull Kid, but he could not bring himself to do so, considering he would have to explain where Navi had gone. He considered leaving and moving on, but then he remembered that Malon told him to stay put; he would rather not risk a run-in with distrusting adults. So, he stayed in the tall building, bored out of his mind and left to dwell on negative thoughts. What if something had happened to Navi after he left her behind, defenseless? What kind of hero leaves their companion behind? He was not worthy of being anyone's hero, he was just a childish coward.

Occasionally he would hear noises from outside: shouting, whinnying, and other animal noises. But as the day wore on and he tossed and turned restlessly, the sounds slowly faded to the sounds of crickets and cicadas, and the hooting of an owl somewhere nearby. He wondered how Kaepora Gaebora would feel about him leaving Navi behind.

At some point he decided to sort through his items to see what was still good and what had been ruined. Most of his food had been ruined, save for his last skulltula leg and a handful of nuts and berries. The ocarina was fortunately fine. As were his slingshot and boomerang. His bomb bag looked fine too, though he wasn't sure if the bombs inside had been damaged. All three stones were fine. And of course, the mask he had taken for Skull Kid was there. Something was missing though, he was sure of it, but it would not click in his head. He laid back and tried not to dwell on it.

But finally, he heard the sound of the door clicking open. He sat up quickly, and fortunately was greeted by Malon's face peeking in. She glanced back behind her, and then held out an arm to gesture for him to follow. "Come on forest boy, I want to show you something, bring your ocarina too. Or your flute. You had a flute too, right?"

Link paused, looking over his items, and picked up the ocarina. But he realized with dismay that he couldn't find the flute, an old gift from Skull Kid. That's what was missing, how could he have forgotten about it? Could it had fallen out when he swam through the tunnel? Or perhaps it had been burned to ash in Dodongo's Cavern.

Crestfallen by the discovery, he slowly picked up the ocarina and followed behind her with a sullen expression.

"So, this is a racetrack for the horses," Malon explained as she led Link around the outer ring of the pasture, pausing to pass back a loaf of bread. "Have you ever ridden a horse?"

Link shook his head quickly. "What's a horse?"

The girl turned back to look at him with a quizzical expression, then laughed. "The animals in the pasture, silly, come on hurry up!"

He picked up the pace, racing to catch up behind her as she reached the gate. She quickly opened it, allowing him inside before closing it again behind him. Then she stepped out into the middle of the field, a flurry of fireflies flying up around her, twinkling in the near darkness. They always reminded Link of fairies, but even smaller.

When they reached the center, she gestured for him to pull out his ocarina.

"I wanted to teach you a song," she explained. It's a song I made for Epona, the horse that, um… that kicked you."

"Gee, thanks…"

But he brought the instrument up to his mouth regardless, listening as she began to hum, slowly repeating the notes until he had the simple twelve-note melody down.

A whinny not far behind him made him jolt. The horse that had kicked him before had come up behind after hearing the song. It trotted over to Malon, rubbing its snout against her cheek, then it turned to approach him. He shrank back cautiously, but instead of rearing up and kicking him, it instead rubbed its face up against his, and he felt a tongue lap against his cheek. Malon giggled as she watched.

"She was probably uncertain at first, but I think she likes you! You must have a good heart, if she trusts you this much."

Link had been laughing and giggling as the filly nuzzled up on him, but when Malon spoke up, he stopped, his hands lowering to his sides. "I'm… not so sure about that."

The girl tilted her head, frowning, and let out a humming noise. "Why not? You seemed so lighthearted and carefree before."

He glanced down, taking a long breath, and let ou the anxiety he'd been hiding. "I… left my friend behind in Hyrule Field, I abandoned her, and now I don't know if she's alright, or if I'll be able to find her."

Malon tapped her chin, brows furrowing. "So, you're worried about her? Well… Even though it's bad that you left her behind, don't you think the fact that you're worried about her is proof that you're not a bad person?"

"I… I don't know."

Malon puffed her cheeks up, gesturing towards the gate. "Well, if you're so worried, then why don't you go find her! Don't you have a clue where to look? Where would she have gone? You guys had something you were doing, right?"

He paused for a moment. Considering. She did have a point. Would Navi have gone back to the forest perhaps? No, if they had been separated, she would have expected him to go do what they had promised. What if she was waiting there now, looking for him?

He looked up into the sky, noticing dark clouds rolling in as the last rays of sunlight died away. Then he looked back to Malon. "I… think need to get to get to castle town as fast as possible. What's the quickest way there?"

* * *

 _ **A/N:**_ _Whew, that was a bit of a long chapter, huh? And with two chapters in two weeks, at that. I considered cutting it into two, but there wasn't a good spot to cut it without making one chapter have very little happen. SO instead, I left it together. This chapter involved a lot of setup for the next chapter, which should be... interesting. The next chapter will bring us to the end of the child era and hopefully should be up before the end of the month. Things are about to all come crashing together for the end of part one!_


	17. Malice

_Malice_

* * *

"Link! Link are you out there? If you can hear me, follow the sound of my voice!"

Navi's voice was hoarse as she called out into the evening air, but Hyrule field offered nothing to her, just as it had the last day and a half. The night Link had disappeared, she had circled back to see if he had run back to the lake, then when that gave her no leads, she had returned to where she lost him. A nearby copse of trees offered no help either. She had rested there, sheltering amongst the roots of an old gnarled tree until the sun rose, shivering as she listened to the sounds of wolfos and other wild beasts moving amongst the undergrowth, praying to the goddesses that she would not be seen.

This had to be all her fault, she thought. She had pushed Link too hard, perhaps, and angered him, and he had run off. Or he had gotten sick of her constant correction of his behavior, and thought he was better off without her. What if he had returned to the forest, deciding to abandon their quest because of her? Oh, then she really would never forgive herself. With the burden of the fate of Hyrule on her shoulders, Navi cried for the first time in a long time, her tears only ceasing with the morning sun.

When light began to filter down through the canopy of leaves though, she caught herself looking to the sky. What was she doing here feeling sorry for herself about? The Great Deku Tree had told her to help Link as his dying wish. Even if Link did not want her, she had to stay by his side until their quest was finished.

Her resolve steeled, Navi rose and began her search. She flew across the fields high in the air, hoping to catch sight of Link, only stopping once by the river for a drink. But now evening was falling, tinting the sky a deep orange. Storm clouds were rolling in on the horizon. She found herself losing hope once again. What if she failed to find him and something happened to him? Something she could have prevented if she had been just a little more alert to his feelings, so that they never would have been separated in the first place.

A crumbling stone wall caught her eye as she began to lower herself closer towards the ground. She would shelter there for the night, giving her a place to rest her wings. In the morning, she could try returning to the forest. Even if Link had not returned, perhaps he would have talked to Saria, and she would have an idea of where to go?

What if he had told Saria not to tell her though? Would Saria listen to him? Or would she be willing to hear her out?

She landed in a small crevice between two crumbling rocks. It was no perfect shelter - a bit damp, really - but it for the most part sheltered her from wind and from any rain that might strike. The fairy crawled inside and willed the natural light she gave off to dim slightly, enough that she might not be easily noticed. Then she turned so that she could see out of the crack.

The air had grown stagnant and humid. The storm rolling in would be a bad one, she was certain. Hopefully, Link would have found shelter by now. Not even the crickets were chirping like they normally would, the heavy air making them end their music early. She did, however, hear the sound of a large bird landing somewhere nearby. She scooted back just a bit further. Most creatures were smart enough not to prey on a fairy, but the risk to her life was not worth letting herself be seen.

She was so well hidden - she thought at least - that she had not expected to hear a voice call out for her. "Hoo hoo, you need not hide from me, appointee of the forest's spirit. Please come out, I would like to have a word with you."

Navi let out a gasp, recognizing the voice. That was… She shook her head quickly and peeked out of her hiding place and – once satisfied that it was safe – crawled back out, fluttering into the air before landing on one of the top rocks. Sitting nestled on one of the larger stones with his feathers ruffled up was Kaepora Gaebora. She stared dumbly for a moment before it occurred to her that he might have seen Link. She opened her mouth to speak, but before she could say anything, he held up a wing to motion for her silence.

"I'm afraid we have not much time," the bird warned, twisting his head up to look to the sky, to the setting sun, and to the ominous storm clouds. "Trouble is on the horizon, so I must ask that you allow me to speak quickly and listen carefully."

Navi froze, anxiety flaring in her stomach. His words chilled her to her core. But after a moment her senses returned to her. She nodded slowly and shifted so that she was sitting more comfortably, waiting for the bird to continue.

Knowing he now had a captive audience, the bird let out a hoot and ruffled his feathers for a second before beginning. "I can tell that you are tired, dear," he began, "but I am afraid I will have to have you put your endurance to the test. Link - no - the entirety of Hyrule is in grave danger, and time is of the essence."

At once, Navi was in the air. "Link is in danger?! Where is he? Tell me! I'll go immediately!"

Kaepora Gaebora let out a disgruntled chirp. "Hold on, hold on, let me speak _please_. Give me a moment." He waited for Navi to settle down a bit, then bobbed his head before continuing. "The forces of darkness are on the move, my dear fairy, and there is nothing more I can do to help you two. You must hurry to castle town, find Link, get the Ocarina of Time from Zelda, and get to the Temple of Time before it's too late. I will await you there."

"But wait," Navi said, taking just barely to the air. "Why can't you just take-" but before she could finish her sentence, the bird had taken to the air and began to fly back in the general direction of Castle Town.

The fairy let out a breath, shaking as the first droplets of rain began to fall before starting off in the same direction. A storm was rolling in, in both the figurative and literal sense. And she feared that if she did not hurry, she might only be met with ruin.

* * *

The distant roll of thunder kept Zelda from being able to fall into a restful sleep. Something about the tense atmosphere this evening made her feel uneasy. Although she should have been sleeping, or at least preparing for the next day's studies, she found herself staring forlornly out the window, watching guards walk about their routes by torchlight, her room illuminated only by a single candle.

As she watched, she noticed a guard run up to another pair. The trio quickly split up, abandoning their routes running across the grounds. How odd. Perhaps someone had intruded? She wondered if the skull kid from before was the cause. Had he returned already? She could only pray to the goddesses that his journey was drawing to a close; the longer it took him, the more antsy and worried she became.

Her chamber door clicked. Zelda whipped back around and let out a gasp, expecting to see some tutor had come to tell her get back to bed so that she would not be sleepy for the morning lessons. But instead, the in the doorway was her trusted nanny, Impa, her body covered by a durable cloak, illuminated by a lamp that she held in her hand. It was hard to see her expression in the dim light, but she was quite sure Impa was frowning.

"My dear Zelda," the old shekiah began, her voice hushed and urgent, "please get dressed, hurry."

Her serious tone sprang Zelda into action. She stood up, hurrying to her wardrobe, and removed the simplest dress she had, one that would only require a few buttons and the laces in the back to be pulled taunt and tied, something that Impa only had to spend a moment to do with practiced ease.

But while Zelda had been getting ready Impa stepped into the room, quietly closing the door behind her, and began gathering up a few items: a small pouch of money that Zelda kept on her, a single spare dress and under garment, a cloak for the rain, and Zelda's night clothes, once the princess was dressed. She already had a couple other bags with her.

Zelda gave a quizzical look as she began to pull a pair of flat shoes on. "Impa? What's going on?"

Impa approached the door, held a finger up to her lips to shush Zelda, and put her ear up to it, listening. When she seemed satisfied, she stepped away and opened it, gesturing for Zelda to follow. "We have to leave, my princess. Come, quickly now."

The tense tone in which Impa spoke gave Zelda reason enough to obey wordlessly. She stood up and hurried to Impa's side, following her out the door. "Wait, what about the candle?" she asked. "Shouldn't we put it out?"

"Leave it," Impa instructed. "We want them to think you're still there."

"Want… who?"

The woman took Zelda's hand and pulled her close to her walking lightly around a corner, keeping close to the wall and concealing her torch as more light and rushed footsteps poured down the hall. A pair of guards rushed by across the intersection. Zelda caught Impa letting out a relived sigh.

Once they were by, Impa picked up the pace, pulling Zelda along down the halls and down flights of winding stairs, occasionally pausing to let someone pass. They reached the castle courtyard and continued along the side, headed to the stables, ducking low to hide behind bushes when possible.

Across the way, Zelda caught sight of movement. But this time they were clearly not the guards or castle staff. No, in the dim light she could make out only bits and pieces, but there was no mistaking the stout bodies or bulldog-like faces of moblins.

Impa's grip on her arm tightened as they rounded a corner, coming to a sudden stop behind a fountain. For a moment, they stood still with Impa at attention, poised to move. Then she bolted, nearly dragging Zelda down the path towards the stables.

"Going somewhere, princess?"

Impa nearly skidded to a stop, Zelda running into her backside. The woman pushed her just a bit more behind, pushing her back again when she tried to peek around her protector's form. In front of them, blocking their escape, were two moblins. And of course, in the middle, the one who let them in: Ganondorf, standing with his arms crossed, letting out a grim chuckle as he looked them over.

Impa's movements were slow, methodical. Zelda couldn't see what she was doing, but she felt the woman's grip on her loosen, though only for a moment.

"Ganondorf, you filthy pig," Impa growled, her words coming out venomous. "What have you _done_?"

"Just paying back Hyrule the kindness they extended to my people." He grunted, flipping his head towards one of the moblins. "Seize them."

Several things happened all at once, too quick for Zelda to fully comprehend what happened. The first moblin to Ganondorf's left readied his weapon and charged forward. The one on his right moved only a second later. She felt Impa's grip tighten. In one swift, fluid movement, the woman threw something hard on the ground. There was a loud " _Crack!"_ and a flash of light. She felt Impa lift her off the ground in both arms and bolt. Next thing she knew, they were more than halfway to the stable, Ganondorf and the moblins still recovering. She heard the gerudo man let out an enraged scream.

Her attention turned to fast approaching stables. Afraid to watch and see if they were already being pursued. How could everything have gone from fine to wrong so fast?

A soldier met the pair at the entrance to the stables, leading a white horse laden with a saddle and loaded bags. Impa lifted Zelda up into the saddle before hoisting herself on. "Did you bring everything I asked for?" She asked the soldier.

"Rations, water, money, spare horse gear, it's all packed away," the soldier responded with a grunt. "Godspeed to you two."

Zelda turned her attention to Impa. "Wait, where are we going?"

"We're going to hide on the far side of Death Mountain, to keep you safe, Zelda."

"But wait, what about the Ocarina of Time? What about Link, the forest boy we were waiting for? We have to wait for him! He needs the ocarina, and he won't know to go to the Temple of Time!"

Impa shook her head but paused to pull something from inside her cloak: the ocarina in question. "We can't wait any longer, Zelda, we have to go _now._ We'll keep it safe until we can get in contact with him. But just in case, do you remember the magic of memory I taught you?"

Zelda hesitated, but nodded slowly, lowering her gaze. "If it's the only way…"

Satisfied, Impa turned her attention to the soldier. "Thank you so much for getting the horse ready for us. May the goddesses bless your soul."

The man gave a gruff grunt, tightening his grip on his spear. "It's been an honor to serve the royal family. I'll hold off Ganondorf's forces for as long as possible here, to buy you time.

"And if I see the forest boy you're looking for Zelda," he added, "I'll be sure to tell him what you said, and where you're going."

Slightly comforted, the princess gave him a slight smile. "Thank you."

Impa's head snapped up as the sound of a pained yell filled the air, followed by angry shouting. "We're out of time. I hope to see you again, soldier." With that, she yanked the reins and spurred the horse into action. It let out a shrill whinny before taking off at a gallop, racing away in the darkness towards the Castle Town gates.

* * *

The clouds had opened to a light drizzle by the time that Link gathered up his belongings, scarfed down a small serving of the bread Malon had provided him, and managed to leave Lon Lon Ranch, distant thunder rolling overhead.

He traveled in silence for nearly half an hour. But something nagged at his mind. Something that he felt important enough to do, especially after the discovery of the loss of his flute. As worked his way through a patch of tall, damp grass, he reached into his bag for his ocarina and took hold of it, fingering the tune before bringing it to his mouth to play a soft rendition of Saria's Song.

"Link, are you there?"

He let out a sigh of relief, hearing Saria's voice. She was okay. Why wouldn't she be? His dream was just a dream, and nothing more. "Yeah, I'm here. Are you and Skully doing okay?"

"We're… fine," she replied.

He paused, her tone causing him to stop walking for a moment. "Just fine? Is Skull Kid with you?"

There was hesitation in Saria's voice. "He's… gone out into the woods to check something for me. He said he saw some Mad Scrubs leaving the forest today. Which is odd… Usually only the more business-minded scrubs choose to leave the woods, you know? So, I asked him to check out what's going on."

Link's face fell slightly, knowing now that he would not get a chance to talk to Skull Kid now. He found himself silently thankful that Saria could not see it, however. He began walking again as he felt the wind and rain begin to pick up. There was a flash of lightning in the distant clouds, illuminating the spires of the castle in the distance, followed shortly by a distant roll of thunder.

"I see…"

"He hasn't come back yet, sorry Link. Do you want me to tell him you contacted me?"

"Yeah, that would be nice."

He heard Saria giggle. "Okay, I'll do so. I wish we could contact you, but unfortunately the magic I used doesn't work that way. Just try to call back in a few hours, maybe? By the way, how is your quest going anyways?"

"Oh, right! Actually I… I just got the last stone yesterday. I'm on my way to Castle Town to deliver them now!"

"Oh that's great Link! So you and Navi should be back soon, right?"

There was a moment of silence where Link said nothing.

"Link?"

"We… well… I got kind of mad at Navi yesterday, and we got separated. I'm… hoping that she'll be waiting for me at the castle, but if she's not… I'll have to look for her first."

"Navi's missing?" Saria asked. There was a moment of silence on her other end. "No Tali, I don't know yet, give me a minute."

"Is everything okay between you two? Do you mind telling me what happened?"

"She thinks I'm a monster!" Link blurted out, everything coming out at once now that he finally had a chance to let his anxieties and frustrations out. "She and everyone else out here. They just… View me as nothing more than a monster. Some of them put up with it. Darunia was nice enough, and Malon was really nice, and so were Impa and Zelda but… everyone else just seems to think of me as a nuisance to be careful around at best, and a mean-spirited monster to chase – or worse, kill – at worst. And Navi won't hardly lift a wing to defend me!"

Saria was silent for a long time. Long enough that, for a second, Link thought for a moment that maybe she was internally agreeing too.

"Oh, Link… Saria began slowly. "I'm sorry things are like that for you out there. The Deku Tree used to tell me that it was dangerous out there. That most people were scared of things that they did not know. And, well, skull kids leave the woods little more than the kokiri do."

"It's not fair," the skull kid whined.

"I know it's not fair," Saria agreed. "But I want you to look on the positive side of things. When you're done, and you've reunited with Navi, you'll be able to come back here to me and Skull Kid, and know we care about you and like you just the way you are."

Link was quiet for a moment. "I suppose you have a point… Thanks, Saria. It's not much, but… I guess it means a lot, with how I've felt lately."

"Now hurry along Link, I'm looking forward to seeing you again. And you _know_ Skull Kid is."

"Tell him I'm ready to see him too." He paused to look up, realizing he was a lot closer to Castle Town than expected. "I think I better go. I'll let you know once I've delivered the stones."

"Take care, Link."

The storm had grown stronger by the time he ended the connection to Saria. And by the time he grew close enough to see castle town when lightning lit the land, it had turned into a deluge, wind whipping rain around him. He lamented the fact that he was getting soaked yet again, just when he was starting to dry out, and held his bag closer.

As he neared the protective wall, he remembered his first time he visited castle town, and realized with dismay that he would be stuck waiting outside in the rain for hours until the sun rose, and the gates opened.

Or so he thought.

Even over the sound of the pouring rain and rolls of thunder, he could hear something else; a loud creaking and clicking noise. In a flash of lightning, he caught sight of the drawbridge slowly lowering open. He stepped back, cautious.

Something about this felt vaguely familiar.

For a second, nothing happened. He swore he heard shouts from the other side of the wall. Then he _knew_ he heard the sound of something click-clacking against stone, growing closer. Less than a moment later, a great white horse came tearing past him. In the lightning, he caught a glimpse of two riders. One wore a heavy cloak. And the other…

"Zelda?!"

The girl must have either heard or caught sight of him. Because a second later, she shouted something that he could not make out. The other person yelled something back to her. She reached for something and threw it back in his general direction. It sailed in an arc and landed with a splash in the moat behind him. He turned to look back for a second to try and figure out what it was, but a loud whinny caught his attention.

He turned his head back towards the drawbridge and could not help but let out a cry of alarm as lightning flashed yet again. The rain began to lessen ever so slightly, the clouds becoming just a bit wispier as he stared down the horse reared up in front of him. And on the back was the source of almost all of his recent problems: Ganondorf.

The darkly clad man patted a hand against his horse's neck, calming it slightly. Link tensed as the man began to yell.

"Arrrrgh! I lost her!" Link could not make out his body language, but he could hear him let out a long huff of air. He began to back up slowly. A flash of lightning lit up his form, however, and alerted Ganondorf to his presence. The gerudo man turned his head. Link swore he saw angry grit teeth twist into a smile.

"You over there! Forest Spirit!" The man shouted to him. "You must have seen the white horse gallop past just now… Which way did it go?!" When Link said nothing the man's voice rose even louder. "Don't just stand there, answer me!"

Link took a cautious step back then froze in place, glowing blue eyes staring down Ganondorf. He steeled himself, then slowly began to reach for his sword, holding it defensively in front of him.

His sign of aggression was not missed by Ganondorf. The man grit his teeth… but then he chuckled, a sound that sent chills down Link's spine.

"So," he began, "you think you can protect them from me… Heh! You've got guts, kid, I'll give you that." He chuckled again, flashing his teeth at the skull kid. "You really want a piece of me? Ganondorf? Very funny! I admit, I like your attitude." Link hesitated as he noticed the man move, raising a hand up towards him. Dark energy began to gather around his hand. But he did not let his resolve waver.

"You could join me, you know," the man continued nonchalantly as energy continued to build in his palm. "I could use more courageous pawns like you in my army. The job comes with a lot of power, you know."

Link quickly shook his head, readjusting his blade. He had heard enough; he could try to end this right now. Try to buy Zelda a bit more time. With an angry yell, he charged forward.

Ganondorf did not waver in the slightest. "Tch, how unfortunate, Well, willing or not, I'm sure I can find some sort of use for someone like you." The spell had finished charging, glowing bright around his hand.

Link had no time to process the statement. He leapt, only for a bolt of magical energy to hit him square in the chest, stopping his momentum and sending him tumbling backwards to the ground.

He managed to climb to his feet, but instead of being a single blast that only painfully knocked him away, the energy continued to coarse through him. The magic remained anchored in Ganondorf's hand, buzzing tendrils of lightning-like energy connecting the two of them. From where they hit his chest, he felt… _something,_ something he could not describe welling up, energy painfully worming its way in and flowing through his body - down into his legs, into his arms, even working its way up into his head making him turn dizzy. It was like when he'd been zapped by the jellyfish, but far, _far_ worse. Unlike the short, paralyzing electrical sting, this persisted, like a sensation of flaming bugs eating him from the inside out. He could not help but scream.

But more terrifying than the pain, than how much it hurt and how loudly the pain made him cry out, was when he suddenly found himself unable to scream any longer. When his voice died in his throat, and his body felt heavy and sluggish. When his vision blurred, and everything felt distant. When the pain stopped, even though magic still connected the two of them.

His arms dropped to his sides; his blade fell from his hands. Only then did Ganondorf cut the connection, only a small bit of energy remaining in his hand. Link gasped and slumped forward, then fell to his hands and knees, still feeling heavy, sluggish, and distant. A few droplets dark energy dripped off his chest, evaporating into a dark vapor as they hit the ground.

He heard Ganondorf let out a harrumph before speaking up again. It took him a minute to focus and try and understand what he was saying, his ears ringing. "...long enough. You had a surprisingly resilient spirit, kid. I'll give you that. Now, I'll ask you again: which way did the white horse go?"

Link tried to open his mouth to protest. To say he would never answer. But he could not seem to get himself to speak. Instead, to his horror, one of his hands began to raise up. He tried to make it stop. But all he managed to do was make it shake with effort. A pounding pressure built up in his head the more he fought it.

Ganondorf clenched the fist still holding magic, the dark energy flaring bright for just a moment, and his resistance failed him. The last thing he saw before his will failed him entirely was his arm pointing to the left. The last thing he heard was Ganondorf's horse whinny. And then, darkness took him, and Link could resist no more.

* * *

Navi had traveled for two whole hours, fighting against exhaustion first, then the wind and rain as she raced against the storm towards Hyrule castle.

Fairies were known for being able to fly fairly quickly… for something of their size. But Fairies were not built for long distance or endurance. And her exhaustion from the day of searching was only impeding her.

But she would not let herself slow down. She could not. Not with everything at stake now. Even if it was almost impossible to see in the dark and in the whipping rain if she was going in the right direction.

By some stroke of luck though, the rain eventually began to die down into nothing more but a drizzle. The moon and stars began to peek out from behind thinning, wispy clouds, giving her a clear view of the castle spires sticking up against the night sky. She adjusted her route slightly to head more directly towards it.

As she neared the castle gates, she noticed the form of a single person sitting on the ledge of the moat that surrounded the protective wall. As she grew closer, she could make out the vivid red of their soaked clothing, and the dark, ashy color of their skin.

"Link!" The fairy called out as she picked up speed, recognizing him immediately.

He raised his head up to the air, then slowly turned back. Perhaps a bit stiffly. It took him a moment to notice Navi, but once he did, he shifted to stand up.

As she got closer, she noticed that he had something in his hands, his fingers shifting over it. At first, she thought it was the fairy ocarina, but as she got closer, she realized that the color was all wrong. Instead of the more natural brown, the instrument was instead a vibrant blue.

She decided to hold off on asking that information until later.

"Link, there you are! Thank goodness you're okay! I've been looking all over for you. Don't scare me like that again! Where have you been? Are you alright? Kaepora Gaebora said you were in some sort of danger." The words spilled from Navi's mouth like a waterfall, one rapid fire statement after another until she was forced to catch her breath.

Link stared at her for a moment and said nothing. The silence stretched on for so long, that she began to think something might be wrong. His fingers had stopped moving.

"...Link?"

"We have to go to the Temple of Time," the skull kid finally responded, nearly monotonously, in a way that made Navi uncomfortable, and twisted her stomach in knots. Something about the way he said it did not sound like him.

"... Okay. We'll do that when the drawbridge comes up in the morning. We have to wait for that anyways. Is that okay?"

There was another long break of silence. "The drawbridge will raise soon."

His voice was blunt, cold almost. Navi was almost certain that something was wrong, off. But… perhaps it was her? She chose her words carefully. "Link… is everything alright? Did I do something to upset you?"

Link did not answer, only turning his head to look back towards the drawbridge before sitting back down on the edge of the moat.

Navi sucked in a breath before fluttering over to land on his shoulder. He made no motion to move or swat her away but did not acknowledge her either. Something certainly felt off, but she couldn't put her finger on it.

Hoping he might talk if she changed the subject, she spoke up after clearing her throat. "So… about that ocarina. Where did you get it?"

His head tilted ever so slightly to the side. Silence followed the simple motion before he finally spoke in barely a whisper. "Zelda gave it to me."

"You saw the princess?" Navi asked. "Then why are you out here? Why aren't you already in town? Did something happen that made you have to sneak out again?"

His head turned to the side. "They're lowering the drawbridge."

"Wha- why would they be doing it now?" Sure enough though, she could hear the tell-tale creaks and clicks of the bridge being lowered. The skull kid stood up, keeping the ocarina in his hands, and began to walk towards the bridge.

"Link, this doesn't make any sense! Why would they lower the bridge at this time of night? What if it's a trap? Please wait and answer me!"

The skull kid ignored the fairy's pleas, walking stiffly, yet confidently towards the bridge. "They're waiting for me."

Navi hesitated for a second before flying after him to catch up. "Link wait! You're acting really weird. _Who_ is waiting for you?"

"We have to go to the Temple of Time."

With the only other option to leave him behind, Navi steeled herself for whatever might be happening and settled down on her spot-on Link's shoulder, tightly gripping the fabric.

Castle Town's central square was totally different at night, hardly a soul out and about. Several dogs were running loose, but otherwise the only people in the courtyard were a young couple standing on the far side of the fountain, standing watching the castle with their hands held, speaking in hushed whispers. Navi hesitated, then took note of the direction Link was heading before breaking off to fly over next to the couple. "Excuse me, is everything okay?" she asked.

The man paused looking over in surprised before offering in a hesitant voice, "well… we were just trying to figure out what was going on at the castle. Two horses came running through here about… a half hour ago?" He paused to look at the woman. She gave him a nod in response. "We saw a guard head towards the Temple of Time not long after. He did not look in good shape… And then a couple of guards just headed towards the drawbridge watchtower… I wonder if something's happened?"

Navi glanced back; Link was nearly out of sight. "Thank you for letting me know," she said to the pair. Then she turned back to catch up to Link. His strides had only become more confident since he'd reached the path he was on now, passing by the mask shop she remembered him stealing from before.

She landed quietly on his head. If he noticed her, he did not say anything, continuing on the path he was taking without a second thought.

"Link," she tried again. "How do you know where you're going?" Perhaps Zelda told him? Or was there something else at play here? Link did not answer verbally, though he did raise a hand to point a finger at the spires of some large, extravagant building in the distance.

The fairy let out a sigh. She wanted to talk to him, to give him a stern lecture about avoiding talking to people. But she feared that it would only drive him further away. "Just… whenever you're ready to talk, let me know, okay Link?"

The skull kid failed to respond yet again. Navi could not tell if that was a good or a bad sign, and that bothered her to no end! She was the guide; she was supposed to _know_ things. And if she was clueless like this, not able to tell how Link was feeling, what good could she do?

"Did… you say your n- hngh – I mean… his name was Link?"

For a second, Link stopped, turning his head at the sound of his name. Navi spotted the guard first, sitting leaning against the gate between two carved stones. His armor was spattered with blood, arms clutching his abdomen, his weapon discarded to his side. Navi fluttered down to get a better look.

The man let out a pained moan and spoke again. "Unnngh...are you the boy from the forest...?"

"This is Link," Navi answered. Only now that she was close enough could she see how seriously injured the man was, that much of the blood was his own. He tried to reach an arm out towards the skull kid, who stood back just a bit. "Don't move," she chided the man, forcing herself to sound calm and gentle. "You're hurt, you'll only injure yourself further. "

"I-I-it's too late for th-at," the man stuttered. "L-let me speak, p-please. I-I-I have something to t-t-tell you… important… Ganondorf, the gerudo King of Thieves, and a handful of turncoats, betrayed our King… Th-the king has fallen."

"No!" Navi cried out, jingling with alarm. "We're too late?"

"W-wait, listen… Zelda's nanny, Impa, sensed danger and escaped from the castle with

our princess...I tried to stop Ganondorf's men from chasing them...but…" He trailed off. There was no need for him to continue; his injuries said it all.

"The princess wanted to… wait for a boy from the forest...that's you… right? She wanted to give something to the boy… If you received it from the Princess, hurry… The Temple of Time is nearby…"

Navi glanced back to the object in Link's hands. Perhaps the ocarina was what the guard was talking about. Link had already turned and began to walk away. Something about that struck Navi as… very wrong. But she pushed it away for just a moment.

"Thank you for telling us," she said, fluttering just a bit closer. "Now please hold still, let me try to heal you. I'm not well versed in healing magic but… I'll try."

The man shifted his head slightly. Even that seemed to take great effort. "I appreciate… the th-thought… but… it's too late… please… save Hyrule… for… us… all…" He shuddered, taking one last gasp of air and was still, breathing his last.

Navi was still for a moment, sorrowful. If only she had done more. If only she'd had Link carry a potion with him, maybe they could have saved the man.

Wait, Link! Where was he? Her attention was taken away from the unfortunate soldier as she realized he really had kept going and was now halfway up the temple steps. She rushed ahead to catch up to him, landing on his shoulder again.

Something about the way he had acted thus far - failing to listen to her at all, failing to answer, ignoring a dying guard - none of that was like him. Surely, he could not have changed that much in this short of time? Her thoughts were temporarily pushed away, however, as they entered the temple of time.

Link's footsteps echoed in the large, nearly empty chamber inside. It was dark, the only light being a bit of moonlight that filtered through the windows. But she could make out the grey stone walls, the colorful glass windows, and intricately carved pillars. The floor was made of polished tiles - white and gold, she thought - with a red carpet leading straight down the middle.

They stepped across a podium with the Triforce on it on their way up the hall, Link not even stopping to take in the scenery – another oddity, another red flag. Navi forced herself to turn her attention back to her charge. But what could she do if he would not speak to her? Besides that, they had to do this to save Hyrule, just like the guard had said. Even if she could get him to talk, it could just lead to losing precious time against Ganondorf.

She began to formulate one final string of questions as they reached a stone slab standing in their way. The slab had three indentations in it. As Link reached for his bag, Navi was able to deduce what they were for. First, he pulled out the Spiritual Stone of Water, a trio of sapphires as deeply blue as the waters the zoras swam in. Then came the Spiritual Stone of Fire, the chiseled angular ruby that represented both the goron's power and the mountain it came from. Then finally, the Spiritual Stone of the Forest, an emerald, round like the cycle of seasons, green like the new buds of spring, like new hope.

Link's hands were shaking as he let go of the final stone, almost as if it was difficult for him to let it go. She supposed that was understandable; the Kokiri Emerald had been what started their journey in the first place and had taken him away from everything that he knew. It was only natural that he be emotional about letting it go.

He reached back for the ocarina, which he had placed on the slab while retrieving the gemstones. Shaky hands brought the instrument to his mouth, which let out the shaky notes of a short tune that she did not recognize, a tune that felt almost sad, or mournful in a way.

When the song came to an end, he placed the instrument in his bag, looking up at the door at the end of the hall expectantly. To Navi's surprise, the doors began to slowly and magically open, scraping and creaking as they pulled into hidden compartments, revealing another chamber that had been hidden behind it.

Link turned and stiffly began to walk around the stone slab and up a short set of stairs onto a stage of sorts, then continued on through the door into the chamber beyond. The room was nearly as empty as the first. A thin layer of dust covered the floor, kicked up as Link passed on towards the center of the room. Navi flew ahead to get a better look. In the very center was a pedestal. And lodged into the pedestal was a sword. A sword with an ornate purple hilt, wings carved into the design. Navi let out a quiet gasp. She had heard of a sword described like this one. The Deku Tree had mentioned it a few times in his legends. Which meant that this could only be…

"The… Master Sword." If that was here then… "Link, this is it! This is what we need to beat Ganondorf!" She turned back to look at Link. He had stopped just at the edge of the steps up to the pedestal, mumbling.

"Link?" She flew back closer so she could hear better.

"Take the sword…" His words came out barely above a whisper.

"Link?"

"I must… take the sword..." He was shaking. This whole time she'd been worried, but now she was positive something was very, _very_ wrong.

"Link please answer me. You've been acting really strange. Please tell me what's going on!"

Link did not speak again. He began to step forwards, towards the sword. Navi few into his path. He walked around her. She flew into his path again. "Would you stop and talk to me or at least listen _please!?_ "

He paused looking down at her. Was he looking at her though? His gaze seemed to go right through her… "Navi? I…"

And then he raised a hand and knocked Navi out of the way.

She let out a startled cry, tumbling through the air, landing on the ground with a slight bounce. " _What is wrong with you?!_ " she cried out. She took to the air again, intent on buzzing in his face and getting his attention one way or another. He had reached the sword now, his hands on the hilt. She rushed towards him.

A dark chuckle behind him made her stop dead in her tracks. Slolwly, almost hesitantly, she turned to look back towards the doorway. A dark form stood in it, framed by moonlight.

"Geh heh heh, excellent work," the man said, his shoulders bouncing as he laughed. "I had a feeling you had the keys to the door of time. Looks like my intuition paid off."

Navi whipped around, whispering the man's name. "Ganondorf…" Then as everything clicked into place, she shouted in anger. "What did you do to him?!"

The man did not answer, though he still spoke up. "You have led me to the gates of the Sacred Realm... I owe it all to you, kid!"

Navi stared for a second, before what he said dawned on her. She spun back around. "Link, wai-"

Link pulled the sword.

* * *

"Sorry, I couldn't find the scrubs we were looking for, but I _did_ find this cool rock;"

Sarai turned her attention away from the sky, watching as Skull Kid appeared in the clearing in a flurry of leaves, tossing a rock up and down in his hand. She smiled politely, but said nothing, choosing to sit back down on a tree stump. She held her ocarina in hand, brow knit with worry.

"Hey, hey," Skull Kid started, noticing her unease and wanting to alleviate it, if only slightly. "What if next time Link contacts us, we throw him a _rock c_ oncert?"

"Mmmh…"

Sensing that she wasn't amused by his antics, he still laughed, tossed the rock behind him. And plopped down next to the kokiri. "Aww boo hoo, don't go looking all sad like that, Saria. Why the long face? Come on, that was funny! Don't worry. I know Link will come back. He promised he would, after all."

Saria turned her gaze to the side, looking out to the thick copse of trees and fog. "It's probably nothing. But… I just can't shake this feeling that something terrible has happened."

* * *

It was nearly midnight when Darunia got the call that a horse adorned with regalia of Hyrule's royal family had been spotted coming up the mountain. He lamented the fact that his much-needed sleep had been interrupted, but regardless rolled out to meet the with whoever had come to speak with him.

It was no more than another half hour before the horse reached the outskirts of Goron City, being led by a cloaked figure. A smaller person rode on the horse's back, leaning against the neck in a resting position. Goron eyesight was not the best in the dark, but torchlight gave him an idea of the person's features. Was that… the princess?

Darunia stepped forward into the moonlight to meet them. "We weren't expecting any visitors, especially at this time of night, so I'm afraid we have nowhere prepared for you to rest. How can we help you?"

"That's quite alright," the standing figure replied, before pulling the hood of their cloak back, revealing a familiar older woman. "I'm afraid we won't be staying long anyways."

"Impa?" Zelda spoke up, raising slightly from her resting position. "Why have we stopped? Are we there already? Will my father be joining us soon?"

The older woman flinched, an action that Darunia read like a book.

"I'm… afraid your father will not be able to join us, Zelda." She turned her attention back to Darunia. "Hyrule castle has fallen to Ganondorf. As far as I know, we were the only ones to escape.

Darunia frowned, sucking in a breath. "I take it you're requesting protection passing through the mountain, then." When the woman nodded, he turned his head to the goron to his side. "Brother, fetch Gormi and Darmi, tell them they're needed immediately." Then he turned his attention back to Impa. "I'll have you escorted through the mountain, but I'm afraid that's as much as I can offer. With us being the border between Hyrule and the wildlands on the other side of the mountain we need to prepare for the danger that will approach us, should Ganondorf not be stopped."

"But Link will stop him, won't he, Impa?"

The older woman looked over to Zelda. "I hope so, dear princess. I hope so."

* * *

"It's terrible!"

Ruto was awoken by the sound of feet splashing through shallow water. She rose quietly, plipping through the shallows after the zora that had come running through, heading straight for her father's chambers.

She stopped just outside, not wanting to alert them to her presence, only listening. "Slow down," she heard her father say before pausing to yawn. "Start from the beginning, tell me what you saw."

"Well, I went to check on Castle Town, like you requested, to try to find information about what might have caused Jabu Jabu's illness, but when I got there… there were people gathered in the town square. They said something was going on at the castle. So, I swam in through the moat and. Oh there were _moblins_ everywhere! And bodies. So many bodies, mostly of Hylian soldiers..."

There was a pause. Ruto could only guess that her father had held up a hand to silence the panicking zora. "This is troubling indeed. Have the word put out. Starting immediately, no one enters our domain but our kind, and no one leaves except to go to the observatory at lake Hylia for news. If something has happened, we have to protect our people first. Understand?"

"O-of course, your majesty! Right away!"

Ruto pressed herself up against the wall as the zora ran by. A moment of silence passed, but as she began to leave, she heard her father's voice once again.

"Ruto? I know you're out there. A word, please."

She flinched, upset at being caught, but headed up the ramp into the king's room regardless. "Yes, father?"

There was a pause; the king sighed. "I know you want to do things your way but. Please, just this once, follow the rules. I don't want to risk losing you again. Not when I just got you back."

Ruto wanted to argue. But the words wouldn't come to her mouth. So, she finally gave in, nodding. "Okay…"

"That's a good girl. Now, off to bed dear."

Ruto began to make her way back down to her chambers. But as she did, she couldn't help but think back to Link.

 _Don't let me down now, forest spirit!_

* * *

As much as Impa wanted to keep going, she, Zelda, and their two goron bodyguards were forced to stop in a particularly treacherous part of the path, too dark to safely travel it at night. They sheltered under a rocky outcropping, laying out bedrolls for herself and Zelda, but did not dare make a fire, not even as the cold seeped in though the stone. She allowed Zelda to sleep next to her, keeping the first watch as the princess and two gorons slept, sitting resolute with her back to the wall.

She had not sensed any sign of Ganondorf following since they reached Kakariko, but she could not rest easy. If he was not chasing them anymore, then it meant that either he had returned to the castle to finish the job, or else had gone after Link. Neither sat easy with her, but she could only hope that the skull kid would be able to open the door of tiem and give pursuit.

The uneasy feeling in her stomach did little to quell her concerns, however.

Sometime into her watch, she felt Zelda shift beside her. She said nothing until the princess spoke up.

"Impa?"

"Hm?" She did not take her eyes away from path up to their shelter.

"My dad… he's dead, isn't he?" There was a since of finality to the girl's words, as if she had already realized it.

"I'm… I don't know for sure, my dear Zelda. But I think it best that we prepare for the worst. I'm sorry."

There was nothing for several minutes. At first, she thought perhaps the girl had managed to sleep again. But then she felt her sit up and lean against her. Of course she would. If her father truly had been killed, then Impa would be the closest thing to family she had left.

"Impa?"

"Yes, Zelda?"

"What… what are we going to do? If Link fails?"

"Do you think he's going to fail, princess?"

"I don't know," she admitted. A pause. She felt the princess wrap her arms around her waist. "I hope not, but I can't shake this bad feeling…"

The woman considered for a moment. "I don't know," she finally said. "But if he does then… well… I'm afraid it may be up to us, princess. We can try to make contact with the sages in the sacred realm, but there's no guarantee that they'll be able to do anything, if Link's unable to stop him with their help."

"I see…" A long silence stretched out before them. "Impa?"

"What is it, my princess?"

"I want to find a way to help, if everything goes wrong. I don't want to have to hide out for the rest of my life. Is there anything we can do?"

The woman hesitated. On one hand, she did have an idea. But it was an idea that she did not want to do, unless it was absolutely necessary.

"I'll, think about it."

"Promise?"

"I promise."

* * *

Desert sand whipped about in harsh wind, concealing everything around the young woman as she walked. Was it foolish to travel through the wastes at night, especially alone? Yes. But she had good reason to, she thought.

Ganondorf was going too far. His quest for power would destroy their people. His people. Her people. The vengeance for what he planned would be swift and merciless, should he fail. And should he succeed? It would spell doom for not just the gerudo, but for all those living in and around Hyrule.

She grunted as the sandstorm finally began to die down and her destination came into view. The Spirit Temple had long ago fallen out of the gerudo's religious practices, due to the constant sandstorm that made it nigh inaccessible. But the Desert Colossus that overlooked it was just as beautiful as she imagined her to be.

Nabooru muttered a quick prayer to her goddess as she stepped into the darkness of the spirit temple, holding up her lamp to get a better look at the chamber and look for a spot to rest.

She knew there were weapons stowed here. Unique weapons that would give her a chance at fighting Ganondorf one on one.

And she would do anything to stop him if it meant saving her people.

* * *

A great bird landed atop one of the Temple of Time's spires, watching the stiffly moving forest spirit below. Even from here, he could sense the darkness that had asserted control over Link. He shook, fluffing out his feathers, waiting for the boy to enter the temple.

"Hoo… this is not good…" the bird muttered to himself. "But this isn't the end, oh no. It's only the beginning. We best be ready for a rough few years…" With that, he took to the air again. As he flew away his physical form began to fade away to nothing but a sprinkling of glimmering light and shimmering dust.

Preparing for the worst, Kaepora Gaebora returned his spirit to the Sacred Realm.

* * *

 _ **A/N:** So... that happened. I'm going to be honest, this was not how I originally planned this chapter to go pretty differently, but when I was working on the Jabu Jabu section, inspiration hit. I hope it doesn't feel too out of left field! I can't wait for everyone to see what happens and all the things that'll be affected by it. So we should see what happens come September, right?_

 _Hopefully. Classes will be starting, and I may be limited in time to write. I also want to go back and clean up some stuff from this first part of the fic before we delve into the temples, so I may not get a chapter out in September. Hopefully I'll be able to get at least one out. I'll be posting updates on Tumblr. So keep an eye out._

 _Until next time!_


	18. Seven Minus Six

**_A/N:_** _We're back! This is a bit of a short, expository chapter, but it kicks things off as we move into the "adult" side of the timeline._

 _As an aside, the prologue and chapters 1 and 2 have had some cleanup. I was going to fix up 3 but disliked it so much that I decided to hold off. I might eventually rewrite it, but the fact of the matter is I don't want to stop for total rewrites, or I may never finish. So for now, the old, clunky writing stays. Also, with this chapter, we've officially broke 100k words! It's been real fun, so here's to another 100k. For those of you that have come this far with me, thanks so much for sticking around!_

* * *

 _Seven Minus Six_

* * *

"Link…"

 _The world was a blur. He was chilled to his core._

"Get up, Link…"

 _The world was too bright. He was burning._

"Link… You _must_ get up…"

He was… He was…

* * *

Link's head hurt. His vision flickered to life, attempting to focus. Pulses of blue danced in front of his eyes. No... it wasn't pulses; it was water. Water was flowing past him over blue stone, shimmering in ethereal light. His hands were in the water, soaking up moisture, and he felt like his lower legs were getting wet too, but otherwise he felt dry.

He tilted his head slightly, his vision swimming as he began to look up. He could not see the end of wherever he was, the world fading into darkness further away. He could, however, see the waterfalls cascading in the distance.

Closer up, two stone platforms rose out of the water in front of him, though he could see a third out of the corner of his eye. One to his left had been painted purple, a design carved into the center. More directly in front of him was more of the same, but this time a golden color. He could not get a good look at the pattern below, however.

His view was hindered by a person standing atop it, adorned in similar golden colors. He raised his head higher, so that he could see the face of the plump stranger. The elderly man stood facing Link, his arms at his sides, a carefully crafted grey mustache stretching across his face. His similarly grey hair had been pulled back into a bun.

The man's voice came out in a deep rumble. "Ah, Link, finally you're ready. Finally, you've awoken. Get up, my boy, you have much to do. Much to fix."

Link looked back down to his hands, to the bits of wood and bark that stretched and shifted and animated. Slowly, unsteadily, he began to push himself to his feet, his stance wobbling, feeling like he could be swept away by the shallow water, with how weak and exhausted he seemed to be. He looked back for just a moment and realized a plain platform rose behind him. He stepped back onto it, feeling at least a bit more balanced.

"Whe-re…" He cut off, finding it difficult to form words. He tried again with a different question. "Who…"

"Hm… a trouble forming words… I suppose that could be a side effect…" The man brought a hand up to his chin, deep in thought, before raising it to wave dismissively. "No matter. I will answer your question.

"My name is Rauru, the last of the original great sages, guardians of the sacred realm. And this place you're standing in now? This is the last untainted bastion of the sacred realm."

"Sacred… Realm?" Link opened and closed his mouth, trying to say that he'd heard of it before. He remembered the Great Deku Tree mentioning it before, in a time that felt both like yesterday, and like it was so, so long ago.

Rauru raised a hand to his chest and closed his eyes. "Ages ago, we ancient Sages built the Temple of Time to protect the entrance to the Sacred Realm. Then we dedicated our spirits to the realm, linking our lives to the health of the realm."

"That's…" Link closed his mouth and shuddered, trying to form thoughts and words. "This is… the… last… of the…"

The sage turned his hand outwards to gesture for Link to be silent. "Let me explain. This is the Chamber of Sages, a place I carved out to protect the sages inside the Temple of Light. The Temple of Light is… well, it is tied directly to the Sacred Realm, instead of being an outside temple like all the others. It… also happens to be the last stronghold in the Sacred Realm against Ganondorf's evil forces."

"Ganondorf? Wait… but that would mean…"

"Let me…" The man sighed and shook his head. "No… let me go about things this way. What's the last thing you remember?"

"Last…" Link considered for a moment, his head aching as he struggled to think back. He'd been in Hyrule Field. And then… Zelda? Zelda! She'd been fleeing. Then Ganondorf showed up and… and he…

Link subconsciously brought a hand up to his chest where he remembered being struck. But… something didn't add up.

"How did I… How did I get here?"

Rauru put his hands behind his back, lowering his head slightly. "Let me fill you in as best I can. You tried to fight Ganondorf in Hyrule field. He struck you with magic and took control of your body, shut you out of your own mind, even, then sent you to open the Door of Time. There, you pulled loose the Master Sword - an evil destroying sword that also happened to be the key to the sacred realm. You entered and… well, I had no choice but to lock myself in here and prepare. When you eventually broke into the temple of light, I used a seal to hold you here, though I could not expect it to hold you forever, nor did I want it to. I spent time trying to weaken Ganondorf's hold, but… I don't mean to alarm you, but I'd like you to take a look at yourself."

Curious, Link glanced down. He was still in the same red tunic he remembered; that much was the same. What wasn't the same was the blackened crack that zigzagged out from underneath, leading all the way up to his chin. Another one peeked out before taking a sharp turn towards his shoulder. He pushed against one of the marks, expecting it to ooze the typical golden sap that would seal his crack and eventually heal him. But instead, viscous, opaque purple fluid of similar consistency to his sap seeped around the spot. He pulled his hand away in alarm, flicking off the bits of the substance that had clung to his fingers.

He pulled his tunic away just a bit, tracing the cracks back to their source. Several more cracks exploded out from a point in his chest, ranging from short, nasty cracks that had been sealed over by the purple ooze, to hairline fractures that stretched out around the center like a web. Perhaps odder, was the center. Right at the spot where all the cracks came together was a lump of the solidified gunk.

Rauru let out a sigh. "I tried to draw all of the magic out at the point of entry... But as you may have guessed, my power alone was not strong enough. Slowly, the magic is seeping back to the rest of your body. Unless you find a way to control it, or else find others that can help draw it out, you'll fall victim to the magic once again. If you would, please reach into your right pocket there."

Link did as he was told, feeling something round and about the size of his hand inside. Removing it to get a better look, he could see that it was a golden medallion with three raised spherical and triangular shapes raising out of one side, and something written along the edge. The other side had the same script, as well as a triforce embellishment.

"What is this?"

"That is called the Light Medallion. It is a symbol of the my strength and imbued with the power of light. For you, it will serve two purposes. The first is that you will need it to call forth my power when you eventually face Ganondorf. But more importantly for you, it also happens to be the only thing keeping that possession curse in check once you leave here. Keep it on you at all times, or else you risk becoming a mindless monster once again."

"When I… face Ganondorf?"

"If you wish to save this world. If you wish to redeem yourself in the eyes of the goddesses, I'm afraid you'll have to. He's become too powerful for any one person to face alone. But with the help of the sages, you should be able to do it, Link."

The man stepped down from his platform to approach Link and reached into his cloak, retrieving a long sword with a decorative blue hilt. Something about the sword filled Link with two feelings at once: a rush of excitement, and an ever-present feeling of dread.

"This is the Master Sword, a legendary blade forged by the power of the gods centuries ago, created to repel evil like Ganondorf. Though you might have trouble wielding it at the moment, you _are_ the rightful user, and you'll need it if you hope to face Ganondorf."

Tentatively, Link reached out with one hand towards the hilt while he put the medallion away. As his fingers made contact though, a jolt went through his body. At once, he felt like he was freezing, burning, and being shocked. He let out a yelp and recoiled, eliciting a frown from Rauru.

"The blade senses the evil that's taken root inside you. If you wish to wield this sword again, you'll either have to go through its judgement each time until you can control it, or else expel the evil inside you. Whatever you decide to do though, you still need to take the sword now."

Link gave the man an incredulous look before turning his attention back to the sword. Slowly and hesitantly, he reached forward, grabbing the hilt tight. He let out a cry as the painful feeling returned, nearly paralyzing him in pain. But slowly, it receded to a numb tingle. Rauru reached into his cloak again to retrieve the scabbard and held that out to Link as well. Link was quick to stuff the sword inside, the slung the strap over his shoulder, so that the scabbard was hanging on his back, tilted so that he could reach the sword's hilt with his dominant hand.

"I'm going to send you back to the physical world soon," he began, "but I want to give you an idea of what has happened since your possession." He returned to his pedestal and stood up just a bit straighter.

"It has been seven years since you entered the Sacred Realm. That may not seem like long to a spirit like you or me, but for the people now under Ganondorf's rule, it feels like far too long. It took him some time to establish rule, but he managed to transform Hyrule into a land fit not for humans, but for monsters."

"Like me?"

Rauru hesitated. "Yes and no. His minions are able to run free now, razing the country as they see fit, terrorizing the residents. But those that stand against him, whether they be human, Goron, Zora, Kokiri, or any of the more monstrous populations that chose not to side with him, they're driven into hiding, or else face his wrath. This is the Hyrule I am sending you out to liberate. Do you understand? Are you ready?"

Link swallowed nervously considering the man's words. Considering what he had learned about himself, and what was still missing. Could he really save the world, the way he was now? What was he thinking, he had to, or else he risked losing himself again!

Decided, he nodded slowly. "I think so… Wait…" As he took a moment to think back to his last memories, something occurred to him. Only then did he realize that something, or rather _someone_ key was missing. "Navi! What happened to Navi? We were separated before, um… before everything happened. Do you know where she is? Do you know if she's okay?"

Rauru hesitated. "The last time I saw Navi was… right before the fall. I sent her towards Hyrule Castle, fearing for your safety. After that, I don't know what happened to her."

"I see… wait, you sent her?"

The man's eyes shifted to the side. "I will save that story for another day. You have a lot of work to do, and I don't want to overwhelm you now. You must go to the temples and awaken the five new sages; you'll need their power to face Ganondorf as well. Head first to the forest, young Link. There, you will be able to awaken the first sage. I wish you good luck."

As Rauru stretched an arm out, the platform beneath Link began to glow with a soft white light. The grew brighter and brighter, until it finally overtook Link's vision.

"Stay safe, Link. And remember to keep the medallion on you at all times."

* * *

The light began to fade, leaving spots in Link's vision as he reoriented himself. For the most part, the room he found himself in was dark. Reddish sunlight filtered down through a large window behind him, illuminating squares on the ground in front. Stairs lead down a platform towards a large doorway. Glancing back, he took note of a small pedestal with a thin slit in it. Logically, the Master Sword had been there.

Tentatively, he reached his hand back towards the sword's hilt, but quickly retracted it as it sent a jolt through his body once again. He felt around at his side, looking for the Kokiri sword, only to discover that it was missing, apparently left behind before he entered the Sacred Realm.

He took a moment to scratch at one arm, considering his path forward carefully. He had no idea what time of day it was, but he'd certainly need to hurry if he wanted to make it to the forest by nightfall. So with that thought in mind, he turned back and began to walk forward, his footsteps echoing in the chamber as he stepped down from the platform.

As he reached the doorway, he paused, looking out into the rest of the Temple of Time.

The footsteps didn't stop with him.

"I've been waiting for you, hero of time."

Link spun around to face whoever was behind him, instinctively reaching for the sword on his back. But when it shot pain through him once again, he opted to just raise his hands in a defensive fighting pose.

Standing on the platform he had just been on, barely illuminated by the light, was a blonde-haired young man garbed in form-fitting blue and white clothing. The man stood at a slight angle with his arms hanging at his sides. Although most of his face was covered by his clothing, he looked out from over the draped fabric with a sharp gaze that threatened to make Link whither.

"After all these years, you finally return to the world of the living with new tasks at hand. After all these years, and the pain you caused, you don't remember a thing." Link shrank back as the man took a few steps forward, pausing after he had taken one step down the stairs. Here, he turned to look back towards the window.

He closed his eyes and continued to speak. "When evil rules all, an awakening voice from the Sacred Realm will call those destined to be Sages. They will find themselves called to the five temples, and dwell there until they awaken to their duty. One in a deep forest… One on a high mountain… One under a vast lake… One within the house of the dead… One inside a goddess of the sand…"

Again, he paused, turning his attention back to Link. "Together with the Hero of Time, the awakened ones will bind the evil and return the light of peace to the world…"

He continued to walk until he was at the foot of the platform. "This is the legend of the temples passed down by my people, the Sheikah."

"The… who? Wait, who are you?"

"I am Sheik, last of the Sheikah." The man brought a hand up to rest it against his chest.

"So, you're… Sheik… the Sheikah?"

Sheik blinked once. "Well, I suppose you could look at it like that, yes. But that's beside the point. If you believe the legend I just told you, you must look for the temples and awaken the sages. But more importantly to you, I think, is that if you want to heal yourself of the evil that's taken root inside, you will need all the sage's power."

Link slowly reached a hand up to place it over the blackened spot on his chest.

Sheik crossed his arms. "One of these Sages is waiting for the time of awakening in the Forest Temple. The Sage is a girl I am sure you know…"

"A girl I know?" Link thought back to all the girls he'd met. And more importantly, he thought back to the girls he knew in the forest, letting out a gasp as the answer struck him. "Saria?"

Sheik nodded. "Because of the evil power in the temple, she cannot hear the awakening call from the Sacred Realm… You must go there and help her."

He paused, arms dropping to his sides, before he shifted to shrug a bag off his back, tossing unceremoniously to the floor in front of Link with a clatter. He tilted his chin up ever so slightly. "Unfortunately, equipped as you currently are, you cannot even enter the temple… If I understand correctly, you barely even have a weapon to work with. But, if you believe what I'm saying, take what's inside that bag. It should help you reach the Forest Temple."

Link tilted to pick up the bag, peeking at the contents inside. On one end of the weapon was a handle leading up to a button. On the other was a wickedly sharp spike as big as his fist. Wrapped around the middle was a chain. Link grabbed hold of the handle and experimentally pressed the button. Immediately the sharp end sprang outwards, shooting several feet before clattering to the ground, the chain rattling behind it. He pressed the button a second time and the chain quickly retracted, pulling back the hook with it until it was back to its original form.

"That is a hookshot, if you shoot it at surfaces like wood, you should be able to pull yourself up or across gaps. That should help you get into the temple."

The man turned, ascending the steps again, though he paused halfway up. "I will wait for your return here. Good luck, and may the goddesses shine with fortune upon you."

* * *

The inside of the Temple of Time was pristine and surprisingly well-kept, save bits of dust and dirt that had crept inside over time. Here at least, Link had a sense of normalcy.

Outside, on the other hand, was carnage.

Dust whipped up in the wind outside, the plant life long withered and dead. The sky was an ominous red, the sun mostly obscured by the dust clouds. But the area around the temple was relatively tame otherwise. However, as Link headed down the path back towards the market square, it soon became clear just how bad the town had been ravaged.

What once had been homes and businesses were now little more than charred piles of rubble, burnt and rotten timbers sticking up haphazardly amongst shattered brick and stone. The happy mask sales shop no longer looked very happy. Anything valuable had long since been picked away by more adventurous bandits. Here and there, Link spotted bones sticking out amongst the rubble as well.

As he made his way to what had been the central fountain, the sound of groaning nearby made him freeze in place. Slowly he turned his head to the left. On the ground stopped what looked like a corpse, the body emaciated and rotting. And yet, it was not still, as one would expect a dead body to be, but instead trembling. It also let out a low, droning groan. The monster drew Link's memory back to a time from before, to a creature he had encountered way back shortly after he began his journey.

Redead.

And as he managed to pull his gaze away from the trembling corpse, he realized that it wasn't the only one there. Several more redead were scattered around the village square, some squatting, some just standing in place, and a few shambling about in a slow limp.

Something grabbed Link's shoulder.

The skull kid let out a startled cry, turned, and swung at the thing behind him with his fist. The blow did little to the redead that had managed to sneak up on him, but it did manage to make it let go. As soon as he was free, he bolted, making an attempt to dash past the walking redeads towards the far side of the square, where he thought he remembered the drawbridge being.

Something let out a high-pitched shriek. Suddenly, Link found himself frozen in place, his body refusing to move. The crouching redead had risen, limping towards him as he watched helplessly.

 _Nonono, runrunrun!_

But his body refused to move, held in place by some unseen force as it inched closer. Closer. Groaning. Rotting fingers reaching towards him.

But slowly, his will to move returned. Slowly, he could move his eyes. His fingertips. His hands. His feet. He stumbled forward as his legs became capable of movement. And he scrambled forward like a wild animal. Whatever magic the redead had cast on him with its wail of despair, it didn't seem ready to do again.

Now able to move fully, he fled the market, down what remained of the main road. He made certain to give any remaining redeads between himself and the way out of town a wide berth.

When he reached the castle town gates, he found the drawbridge not just down, but busted, parts of the wood dipping into the moat. A small channel of water existed between the two pieces of the bridge. Link carefully made his way close to the water's edge before leaping, landing on his stomach with his fingers digging into the wood grain on the other side, trying to drag himself up to safe shore. His boots kicked and slid against the damp wood, threating to let him slide back into the water. But finally, after what felt like far too long, he managed to pull himself up to safety.

As he began to make distance between himself and Castle Town, the red dust that permeated the area began to die away, leaving him in a Hyrule field that seemed almost just as he left it. He shifted on his feet anxiously, adjusting his bag and the sword on his back. He began to reach for the weapon, only to stop short before his hand could grab the hilt. No, he couldn't take the pain every time he needed to fight; by the time he had recovered from the jolt, an enemy would be upon him.

He clenched his fists and looked up towards the expansive fields in front of him. If he couldn't use his sword, he'd just have to find other ways to fight. Like with his fists! Or perhaps he could use the boomerang. Or the weird hookshot thing Sheik gave him.

With the goal of the Kokiri Forest in mind, he began to walk, hoping he was going the right way. If only Navi were here, she'd know how to get him there. Thinking about Navi and wondering where she was sent a pang of regret through his chest. No, he couldn't focus on her now; it would only serve as a distraction.

He took a glance up at the setting sun and took off at a nervous gait.

* * *

"You can come out of hiding, you know. I know you're there."

"You're still here?"

"I'm giving him a head start; I don't think he'd appreciate being followed and watched like he's a dangerous monster."

"Then let me go with him."

"We can't risk losing both of you. You know that."

"Then I'm coming with you."

"I don't advise that. But I won't stop you. I just hope you realize he may not be the same as when he met you."

"I could say the same to you."

"On the contrary. I've already made peace with that. Why do you think I'm keeping an eye on him? I just hope it doesn't come down to a fight."

"You sure didn't sound at peace with it. And you don't have to worry about a fight. I _know_ it won't happen."

"...Goddesses willing, I hope you're right. Come on now. If you're coming with me, we should get going."

* * *

 _ **A/N:** So, this may or may not be what people expected, but there are still some surprises up my sleeve. Link has a lot of missing memories he's going to have to work out, and he's left with a Sword that can't truely accept him yet. We'll be heading to the Forest Temple next time. See you then._


	19. Three Boys

_**A/N:**_ _Are you excited? I'm excited! As a quick note, I'm hoping to get the next chapter out by Halloween? Why? You'll see. But I have a one-shot for another fandom I'll be posting first. Hopefully between that and school and work, I'll have enough time to post the next one. Until then, enjoy!_

* * *

 _Three Boys_

* * *

Link kept traveling even as the sun set and continued his journey throughout the entire night. He only occasionally paused for a short rest, or to avoid the roaming bands of monsters that plagued the field. Not once did he encounter a stalchild, something that he felt should have been concerning. Instead, squads of larger, armored skeletons occasionally marched by in rigid rows, their burning red eyes searching for anything that moved in the darkness. Once, he caught sight of a poe, the spirit's lantern illuminating grass and dirt as it slowly meandered over the fields and across the dilapidated paths.

And throughout it all, Link was not sure he was headed the right way. For a time, he followed the river, passing the bridge towards Kakariko, and the ravine that lead back towards Zora's Domain. But eventually, he ran out of river to follow, and had to take his own, guessed path. He turned his back to the water and followed as straight of a line as he could.

Soon the sun began to creep up the sky, lighting up the world he'd failed to protect. At this time, he quit seeing stalfos marching around, and instead occasionally caught sight of a roving band of lizalfos. These groups were much less rigid than the stalfos, wandering around as they pleased, occasionally taking a moment to stretch out in the sunlight. But they still kept an eye out for any movement, just as the stalfos had before.

Eventually, he came across a broken-down stone wall. He took a moment to rest against it and thought back to when he first traveled towards the castle and realized that he recognized it. Almost immediately, he turned left and dashed ahead.

Soon, Link caught sight of a speckling of trees in the distance, standing tall in front two cliffs with an opening, a familiar sight. Link dashed forward to close the remaining space and ran between the two walls, familiarity returning as he grew closer and closer, until he reached an oversized, hollowed-out log. A log that led back to the Kokiri Forest.

At once, he was relieved. Even if everything was wrong, even if he had messed up horribly, at least he was home.

But as soon as he entered the forest, he realized something was off. There was no sound of laughter. No sound of play. Even the birds had long gone silent. Kokiri Forest sounded as dead as could be.

Almost, at least.

Link made a wide berth around a large deku baba plant that had sprouted up, something that he had never seen in this part of the woods. Something that he was certain the Kokiri never would have allowed. That the Deku Tree would not have allowed.

But the Deku Tree was dead, and no longer held domain over the forest.

A few mad scrubs poked their heads out as he passed by, but none attacked him. None saw the need to attack him.

This was very wrong. Everything was still here, but everything was wrong.

He began to walk towards one of the Kokiri homes but thought better of it. He wasn't ready to see their fates. No, he feared what he might find, so he turned away and instead headed for the familiar entrance to the Lost Woods.

For a time, he was accompanied by only the rustle of leaves in the wind. First, he made his way to his old hollowed out stump. Home. The place he had left so long ago, apparently, yet it still felt like yesterday.

From the outside, it was almost just as he remembered it. The grass around it had grown taller, perhaps, but otherwise it hadn't changed a bit.

The inside, however, was a mess. All his belongs had been haphazardly scattered, including the leaves and twigs that made up his bed. His blanket was gone entirely, as were any of the nuts and other goods he had left behind, all taken by someone in the time he'd been gone.

He wasn't sure how long seven years was exactly, but it really had been a long time, hadn't it?

Fingers brushed over the floor, leaving traces in the dirt. He allowed himself a few more minutes to reminisce on the old times, to miss his home, before he forced himself to stand up and move on. After all, he had work to do, and the sooner he woke the sage, the sooner he could try to heal his curse.

Stepping back outside, he began to walk away. However, a rustling in the undergrowth made him stop sharply. He grew still, listening. The sound raced sharply to his left but remained hidden. Slowly, he reached down to wrap his hand around the hookshot's handle and brought it up against his chest.

The rustling stopped. But then a whistle sounded, and a dart shot through the air, embedding itself into Link's shoulder.

He let out a yelp and retaliated by shooting the hookshot in the general direction the sound came from. The spike shot out, flying through the air and embedding itself in a tree with a loud "thunk." Link pressed the button to retract it, but it dragged him forward instead, straight towards the bushes his assailant had attacked from.

The hookshot drove him right into the tree, smacking against it. He scrambled back to his feet and wrenched the hookshot free from the trunk, then whirled around to face his assailant.

"...Wait, Skully?"

Sure enough, his attacker was the skull kid he had known for so long. Skull Kid was staring him down, a dart loaded up in his flute. But as Link spoke his name, he hesitated, staring him down. Dozens of expressions crossed his face as he processed that simple question.

"...Link?"

Link's face lit up as realization crossed Skull Kid's face.

"Yeah, it's me! I'm back!"

The older skull kid continued to stare at him for a moment in disbelief. Link was back. He was really back after all this time. And yet…

Surprisingly, his expression soured. Though he dropped his weapon, he clenched his hands into fists. Then he began to yell.

"It took you long enough! Where have you been?!"

"I-" Link started to reply, but Skull Kid kept going, having only begun to vent his anger.

"I don't want to hear it! Where have you been? You just quit talking to us all of a sudden, and then you suddenly contact Saria once and she disappears! And then all the bad things start happening to the forest and everyone else has to clean up the mess while you're off doing whatever and ignoring us! And now you come back and want to pretend like everything is ok. But it's not. You abandoned us! You-"

He cut off, lowering his voice. "You abandoned Saria. You… You abandoned… You abandoned _me_. Didn't my friendship mean more to you than that?"

Link flinched at the accusations hurled at him. His voice came out falteringly. "Skull Kid… Skully I… I didn't leave by choice. It's just… I couldn't come back. Not right away."

Skull Kid's eyes flickered dangerously as he crossed his arms. "And _why_ should I believe that?"

Link hesitated. How was he supposed to answer when he barely knew the answer himself? Well, he did the best thing he could think of: shared what little he knew.

"Ganondorf took me. He did something to me, and I… I wasn't in control of myself, apparently."

" _Apparently?_ "

"I don't remember! I don't remember anything except being attacked and then I woke up and a strange man was talking to me and he gave me a sword and the sword hurt me and… and… and he said I was being controlled."

Skull Kid let out a huff and lowered his arms. "No offense, Link, but I find that a little hard to believe. I mean… this Ganondorf - whoever that is - 'took control of you?' That just sounds like a bad story."

"It's true!" Link cried out before continuing in a more hesitant voice, "I mean… it's what I was told, at least." He paused for a moment before an idea came to him. He grabbed hold of the collar on his tunic before pulling it down to expose the nasty web of cracks on his chance. "Look at this, does this look normal to you?"

For a moment, Skull Kid turned his head away, stubbornly refusing to look. But curiosity got the better of him, and he finally turned his head to look, only for him to recoil, eyes flickering. He hesitated before shifting forward to get a better look, even taking a sniff of the wound.

"Well… That sure isn't normal… but…" He let out a sigh before standing up straight, his aggression finally dissipating. "I… I'm still not sure I believe you but… I guess I'll give you the benefit of the doubt."

Link's shoulders slumped in relief. Oh, thank the goddesses. "I'm so glad to see you, Skully. Everything's been terrible. The old man told me I did bad things, and then the guy in blue told me I had to come straight here, and the Castle Town was terrible and there were redeads _everywhere_ … And then the forest was all bad too and… I just want things to go back to normal…"

Skull Kid stared for a moment, tilting his head. "Well… we could just hang out if you want. Play music together just like we used to. Would that be nice?"

For a moment, Link perked up. But it passed just as quickly. "I want to, I really do, but… I can't. I have to… to finish what I started. Look at the forest, it's all messed up because I wasn't good enough. I have to find the forest temple and wake the sage, so that they can stop Ganondorf."

"You're being silly, Link," Skull Kid replied, reaching forward to put a hand on his shoulder. "The forest isn't like this because of you, it grew wild without the Deku Tree."

"But I'm the one that couldn't save the Deku Tree!" Link wailed in response. "I couldn't do it because I'm not strong enough and because I'm a monster and I just-"

Skull Kid cut him off with a light shove. "That's silly. You're not a monster, Link, you're a Spirit. Big difference."

Link stared for a moment. "I…" He shook his head. "But everyone thinks I'm a monster! Even Navi secretly did!"

"Well if everyone thinks you're a monster then don't worry about them. Just give them your best prank! And if they get mad and can't appreciate you, then just forget them all and come back to the forest. It'll be just like old times! Well… almost. Close enough."

Link slumped. "I already said I can't. Not until I fix this, at least." While speaking, he gestured to his chest.

Skull Kid stared at Link for a moment, frustrated. "Fine. We'll go find this 'sage' or whatever, _together_ , and make them make you better. _Then_ we can go back to having fun all day. Deal?"

"I don't know if I can - I don't know if they'll be able to heal me by themselves but… it's worth a try." He considered for a moment, then nodded. "Okay."

Skull Kid's beak twisted into a grin. "Great, then let's go!" He spun around, only to pause. "Just… one question. Where's this Forest Temple?"

Link's eyes flickered. "That's… A good question. He never told me… But... maybe that's where Saria is?"

"Why would Saria be there?"

"Um… well, you see… Apparently Saria _is_ the sage. Did I forget to say that?"

Skull Kid crossed his arms. "You did. How do you forget something that important?" He paused for a moment. "But but buuut! I think I know where to start looking."

Link considered for a moment. "The place in the forest where Saria always hung around?"

"That's right! Now come on! It's been _forever_ since I saw Saria!" With that, the skull kid spun on his heel and began to bound away, leaving Link to try and keep up.

They raced through the forest for what felt like forever, taking familiar twists and turns that Link realized he still knew by heart. A left at the clearing where deku scrubs practiced their sharp shooting, then a dash through the twisting maze of trees that would leave most lost. But not Link. The forest was home. The forest still welcomed him just like it had when he'd first become a skull kid. The forest didn't judge him for who or what he was. The forest would always show him the way.

For a moment, he felt like he could just leave his cares in the darkness, abandon all his burdens, and breathe easy.

But the heavy sword and shield on his back reminded him of who he was. Reminded him of what he had to do. It brought him back down to earth and reminded him of what he had to do.

At some point, Skull Kid slowed down to talk to Link. "By the way, where _is_ Navi?"

Link flinched and hesitated before answering. "I… I don't know. I don't know if she's alive or if she's okay or anything."

Skull Kid seemed to consider this for a moment. "Oh well, that's too bad. She was kind of annoying, but she seemed cool enough." He shook his head, seemingly unconcerned now that he had his answer, then bounded off again. "Come on, we're getting close!"

"Skully, look out!"

In his haste to get moving again, Skull Kid had failed to watch where he was going. As he raced ahead towards a huge fallen log, he ran face-first into a lone figure standing in the woods, knocking them over.

"Hey, watch it!" the person called out, trying to untangle himself from Skull Kid. After a moment of pushing and shoving, the two were separated, Skull Kid sitting up with an amused grin, looking rather disheveled with his hat hanging lopsided. The other was a Kokiri in a sleeveless one-piece article of clothing, a short scabbard attached to a belt around his hilt.

The Kokiri stood up, dusted himself off, and crossed his arms, scowling at the two. Only then did Link get a good look at his face and realize that he recognized him.

"You're that… that Mido guy!"

"Oh, is that his name?" Skull Kid asked, adjusting his hat. "I'd forgotten." He stood back up with a chuckle and moved back to stand beside Link.

Mido seemed quite displeased by Skull Kid's response, as he gave him a sharp glare. "And what, may I ask, are you two doing here?"

"Don't worry, I got this," Skull Kid whispered, before speaking louder. "Oh, it's nothing! We just have to find the Forest Temple! Oh, and, uh… Saria too, since she's there, apparently."

The Kokiri blinked a couple times, shocked by the blunt response, before his gaze hardened. "Oh yeah? Well, Saria told _me_ not to let anyone through. Anyone! And that includes you."

"But we _have_ to go," Link insisted. Then an idea clicked in his head. "Look I'll even get her permission. Hold on." And then he began to rummage through his bag, fishing out the ocarina Saria gave him.

Only… it wasn't the ocarina Saria gave him. Instead, the ocarina in his bag was a brilliant blue, a silver band with a Triforce insignia wrapped around the mouthpiece.

He stared at it blankly for a long moment. "That's not my ocarina…"

Skull Kid looked over the instrument for a moment, brushing his fingers over the smooth surface. "It sure isn't. You sure you don't have it in there?" Without waiting for an answer, he began to rummage through the bag, only to turn up empty handed.

"Nope, not there. You could still try that one though? It looks fancy!"

Link hesitated for a moment longer, trying to recall where the ocarina came from. Unfortunately, he could only draw blanks. The loss of Saria's ocarina was also a mystery, and the more he tried to think about either of those things, the more his head buzzed and grew fuzzy.

He groaned, shaking his head to clear it, then turned his attention back to the mysterious blue ocarina.

"Well… it's worth a try."

He brought the instrument up to his mouth with trembling hands and slowly blew a couple notes into the instrument. Then, a bit more confident, he began to play Saria's song, letting out strong, upbeat notes that contrasted the anxious pit in his stomach.

What would Saria say to him? Would she be angry that he had disappeared for so long? Or perhaps frustrated? Had she noticed his disappearance while she was holed away wherever she was?

Would she even be able to answer him? What if she didn't have her ocarina anymore? Or perhaps this ocarina couldn't connect. It wasn't from the forest after all. On, this was a stupid idea, he should have tried something else. He should have-

"...Link? Is that you?"

Link let out a small gasp as Saria's voice filled his head. "Yeah- Yeah it's me!"

Skull Kid reached over to grab Mido's hand and put it on the ocarina, then added his own.

"Hey, what are you-" Mido started, only to be cut off by Saria's voice.

"Mido? Are you there too?"

"S-Saria?!"

Skull Kid let out a giggle. "Not just Mido either."

The trio heard Saria let out a relieved breath. "Oh, you don't know how glad I am to hear that you're all okay." Her words then addressed Link. "Especially you, Link. It's been so long… but I knew I would hear from you again!"

"Where are you now?" Skull Kid asked. "Link said he has to go to the Forest Temple, I think?" To this, Link nodded.

"Y-yeah!" Mido nervously added in. "Everyone's been worried about you! I told them not to, but they do! You know how it is."

Saria giggled. "Well, thanks for keeping an eye out for them for me, Mido. I'm actually in the Forest Temple right now! I heard the spirit of the forest calling for help, and Link said I should try going to the Forest Temple if I wanted to help, so I went to check it out… But it's full of evil monsters, so it's taking a lot longer than expected. I'm sorry for making everyone worry!"

Both Skull Kid and Mido glanced up to Link, who stared back in confusion. "I… said that?"

Saria hummed in response. "That's right. Don't you remember? I suppose it _has_ been a while..."

"No, I don't…" Link mumbled. The light of his eyes dimmed and flickered uncertainly, and he lowered his free hand to his side.

Saria hummed in thought. "Well… if I remember correctly, you did seem rather distressed when we last talked… maybe you forgot with all the stress you were under?"

"Maybe…"

"Where are you right now anyways? Oh wait, you must be somewhere in the forest if Skull Kid and Mido are with you. I've been trying to clear out the temple, but it seems like monsters are cropping up faster than I can clear them out. If you have to come anyway, why not help out?"

"But Saria," Mido protested, "you told me not to let anyone in."

Saria let out a lighthearted chuckle, a familiar laugh that Link hadn't realized he missed so much. "That's true! But if you three come help, I should be able to clear this out, and then we can all go back to the Kokiri Forest together. Maybe clearing out the temple will be enough to drive out the monsters there too. If not, we can deal with that and make everyone safe again. Wouldn't that be great?"

"You bet it would!" Skull Kid said before anyone else could speak. "It's been so _boring_ since you left. There's no one to try and stop me from pulling off my master pranks, and there's no one to prank since all the Kokiri are hiding. Well, no one that's not going to try and kill me afterwards." And then he snorted, another laugh that Link had missed so much.

She laughed even at that, despite everything. "Don't push it Skully. Do you guys know where to go? Oh, of course you do, Link is with you. But… just in case, you know the clearing I liked to spend time in? The Sacred Grove? That's where you need to go. The Forest Temple is just behind it; if you use magic to get up on the ledge, you can't miss it!"

Mido took a deep breath. "Alright… well… if you think it's really okay, I'll go for you Saria. We'll see you soon."

With that, both Mido and Skull Kid pulled their hands away from the ocarina. Link held his hands there for just a moment longer, mumbling "see you soon," back to Saria before stowing the instrument away again. Then he looked up to see Skull Kid and Mido had already collected themselves, standing a few feet away waiting for Link.

"Well?" Mido said. "Let's get going then."

He began to walk, Skull Kid following just behind with Link bringing up the rear, though Skull Kid soon bounded ahead, being the one who knew the way the best. A few minutes passed in silence, though the silence was cut off when a fairy poked their head out from under Mido's cap.

"Are we sure about this?" the fairy asked. "How do we know we're not walking into a trap? The Deku Tree used to tell us to avoid the Forest Temple - it's dangerous ruins left behind from when the Hylians tried to tame the forest. And Saria said it was full of monsters… And how do we know we were really talking to Saria, or that Saria wasn't forced to tell us that?"

To that, Mido smiled and laughed. "It's okay, Ren. It can't be _that_ bad. Besides, if Saria needs us, I can't just leave her there alone. And I can't just leave it to these two, can I?"

"Hey!" Skull Kid yelped. "I am - _we_ are perfectly capable of handling things. You can go home if you want."

"No way!" Mido responded. "How 'bout we make it a competition then, to see who can defeat the most monsters and find Saria first?"

"Oh, you're on!"

Link followed behind the two forest residents slowly, listening to them bicker without making any input. Though he was just as determined as they were, his mind was occupied elsewhere. He let Saria's conversation repeat in his head. Though it had gone well, something still bothered him. Something that he couldn't piece together in his mind, that only gave him a headache the more he thought about it.

 _When_ did he tell Saria to go to the Forest Temple?

The remainder of the trio's journey continued the same way, with Skull Kid and Mido in the lead, bickering in semi-friendly tones, and Link silently bringing up the rear, lost in thought. But all things come to an end, and the relative peace was shattered when they neared the destination.

"Stop!" Mido's fairy called out. "Everyone stop, right now!"

Moved by the genuine distress in Ren's voice, Mido slowed to a stop, prompting Link and Skull Kid to stop as well.

"What's wrong?" Mido asked.

Skull Kid spoke next. "Yeah. What's the hold up?"

"Don't you feel it?" The fairy asked. As Link got a closer look, he realized the fairy was trembling.

"Feel what?"

"There's evil about," Ren said. "Evil monsters, here! Powerful ones! We should turn back, before they kill us all!"

Mido reached a hand up to press it comfortingly against the fairy. "I don't feel it, but I'll take your word for it. But we have to press on. Saria is past here, and she could be in trouble. Besides, we promised her we'd to try to be braver, remember?"

"I know," Ren mumbled. "But…"

"It'll be fine," Mido said. "Worst case scenario, we sneak around them. Alright?"

The fairy let out a whimper but said nothing more, turning his attention back to the path ahead.

Still, as they moved forward, all three boys reached for some sort of weapon. Link elected to grab hold of his hookshot, holding it close to his chest as he stepped forward. Mido grabbed hold of his short sword, and Skull Kid reached for his flute, loading up a handmade dart inside.

Link stepped forward first, looking around the rock cautiously. At the far end of the straight path stood a bored looking, bulldog-faced monster. It was at least twice Link's height, muscular, and lightly armored, holding a long spear in one hand.

Its attention shifted, catching sight of Link's eyes gleaming in the filtering sunlight. Link quickly ducked back around the corner, pressing up against the wall. Several tense seconds passed as the monster's heavy footsteps came closer and closer, until it reached the path the boys were situated in. It turned its head to look down the path they were on, noted their presence, and let out a bloodcurdling howl.

Mido screamed.

Ren screamed.

Skull Kid screamed.

Link screamed, held his weapon up, and shot it in a panic.

The spike shot through the air, whizzing past the other two boys as the chain rattled behind it, and buried itself in the monster's exposed chest. The moblin's howl cut off with a pained cry. But the wound was not enough to stop it; it stood its ground, glaring at its attacker.

Link tried to pull retract the hookshot, but the spike was stuck, pulling him forward until he let go of the weapon, sending it flying in through the air so that the handle hit hard, driving the weapon deeper into the moblin's chest.

Letting out an enraged scream, the moblin wrenched the spike free tossing it aside, leaving a bloody, gaping wound in his chest. Despite the severe - if not mortal - wound, the monster seemed to shrug it off. It hoisted its spear - a weapon nearly as tall as it was - and rushed forward with a battle cry, forcing the trio to retreat and dive out of the way.

On the positive side of things, no one was trampled. The monster also had kept running and taken time to come to a stop. On the negative side, it was now turning around and preparing to charge again.

"C'mon c'mon this way!" Skull Kid yelled, taking off back towards the rock walls. He skid to a stop right at the intersection, turning back towards the others. Link and Mido wasted no time chasing after him, though Link made a slight adjustment to his path to scoop up the hookshot as he ran by. As a result, Mido arrived first. Skull Kid brought his hands down to create a step for the Kokiri, hoisting him up.

Hearing the thundering steps of the monster chasing behind him, quickly closing the gap, Link pushed himself to run faster. As soon as he reached Skull Kid, the boy did the same for him as he had for Mido, then vanished in a flurry of leaves, reappearing at the top. Everyone held tight to the stone as the monster crashed into its side, shaking it dangerously despite its size.

Unwilling to wait and see if it could climb, Link sprang to his feet and began to leap from rock to rock, crossing the field with ease. Skull Kid and Mido got the idea and followed afterwards, the trio only resting when they had put a good distance between them.

They sat down on a rock near the center of the maze, resting for a moment. Link took the opportunity to begin picking away the bits of flesh that had stuck to his hookshot, planning to wipe and wash it clean later.

"What _was_ that?" Mido huffed looking back in the direction they'd come from.

"A moblin," Ren responded. "They're a species of beast-like monsters. The Deku Tree said they were driven out of Hyrule years ago but… Well, they must be trying to get into the Forest Temple. Or else guarding it. This is dangerous, we should go back."

"We should," Mido started, "but we can't. We gotta go help Saria. What if she has to fight one of those things by herself?"

"Saria's got some of the strongest forest magic I've ever seen," Skull Kid said. Ren opened his mouth to say something, but Skull Kid held his hand up to stop him. "But! But we have to go in there anyways. Or at least, Link does, and I'm not letting him go alone. You're free to leave if you want though."

"I'm not going anywhere," Mido insisted. "Come on, before that thing alerts any others that might be in the area.

Skull Kid nodded and stood up, only to stop and suck in a breath, raising a finger to point in the distance. "Um… easier said than done. Look."

Link and Mido followed the skull kid's arm, Mido squinting as he peered into the distance. Ahead, there was a set of steps leading up to a path between two steep walls. And at the end was another moblin, this one much bigger than the first and wielding a huge club. As they grew closer, hopping from stone to stone, they realized that he was standing at attention. Watching. Waiting.

"That other one's howling must have alerted him to our presence," Ren muttered, once again shaking. "How are we supposed to get around that?" The fairy dipped back under Mido's hat, not waiting for an answer.

"You gotta have something to deal with it in that bag of yours," Skull Kid mumbled half to himself, half to Link, his hands diving into Link's bag. He pulled out the boomerang, the slingshot - which he paused to hand to Mido, saying, "you need it more than I do," - before finally finding something that interested him. Carefully, he tugged out a smaller bag, peeking inside. "Oooh, this looks promising." Reaching one hand in, he retrieved a single bomb.

He turned back to the stairs. "Cover for me guys, I got this."

Before either of them could stop him, Skull Kid dashed off ahead with the unlit bomb in hand. Link took a short second to put up the boomerang and bomb bag before chasing after him, not waiting to see if Mido would follow.

"Skully! Wait!"

But Skull Kid did not wait. Instead, he dashed forward, rushing silently towards the moblin. Unwilling to let him rush in alone, Link rushed after him, shouting a battle cry to catch the moblin's attention. It stood up straight as soon as it caught sight of Link, rolling its shoulders, and took its club in both hands. But it waited, unmoving, for Link to come closer. Once he was close, it swung with the club, narrowly missing Link as he sprang out of the way. It shifted, muscles rippling as it swung its club to the side, attempting to smash Link against the wall.

Fortunately, it only managed to clip Link on the edge, sending him sprawling to the ground a few feet away. It stepped forward a single, menacing step. Link rolled to the side to avoid being smashed into the ground from another strike that landed hard enough to shake the ground around them.

During this distraction, Skull Kid took the opportunity to dive behind the moblin, lighting the bomb's fuse along the way. He rolled it near the moblin's feet before dashing back the way he came. Seconds later, the explosion went off near the moblin's left leg, sending dirt, stone, and bits of shrapnel flying out around it.

The moblin let out a pained, angry howl, dropping to one knee.

But it was only down for a moment. Shifting to use its club to support itself, the moblin pushed itself back to its feet and stood at the ready once again, though it favored its uninjured leg.

Skull Kid retreated back out of reach, but Link stayed in, reaching for his hookshot again. But as he tried to take aim, he failed to doge the club in time. Fortunately, the blow sent him flying diagonally, instead of smashing him into the ground or the walls. But it was still a powerful, painful hit, and before he knew what was happening, he was sailing through the air in an arc, hitting the walls a few feet away from where Skull Kid had retreated to before dropping with a heavy thud.

The moblin, now angered, began to advance on the two.

Link groaned and slowly pushed himself to his feet, his vision blurred. He felt Skull Kid grab him and pull him backwards, but they couldn't cover ground as fast as the moblin, and it was quickly gaining on them.

"Get up! Come on!"

Finally Link shook himself out of his stupor and managed to climb to his feet and began to run with Skull Kid, but then he stopped. He took one look up at the moblin and clenched his fists, then realized he had dropped the hookshot when he'd been hit. In a desperate attempt to fight back, he reached back for the master sword, tightening his grip on the hilt even as waves of pain washed over his body, rooting him to the spot. He let out a pained scream but kept his grip.

Skull Kid turned back, realizing Link had stopped. He took one quick look back towards Mido, who had drawn his sword but was still petrified at the top of the stairs, and then dashed back towards Link, grabbing one of his hands.

"Don't just stand there! It'll squash you!"

Whether it was the words or the action, something finally got through to Link. Though it was with great effort, he finally moved, letting Skull kid drag him back.

The pain finally began to subside, lessening to a dull throb. As soon as he felt he could move, Link pulled his hand free and ran back towards the beast. Skull Kid stared after him in shock, but did not stay still for long, instead dashing ahead and under the beast's legs in an attempt to distract it.

"Hey you big lug! Look at me! Over here!"

But the moblin found Link's sword much more interesting.

Link ducked to avoid another swing of the club, raising his sword to jab at the monster's hand as it swung by. He managed to get a thin slice with the tip, but nothing more than a minor cut.

This, at least, was finally enough to will Mido into action. The Kokiri charged forward with a battle cry, rushing for the monster's legs.

He didn't even manage to get close.

The moblin brought its club down with enough force to make the ground shake beneath them, knocking all three off their feet.

Link began to climb back to his feet, only to realize with alarm that the moblin had shifted so that it stood over him, poised and ready to strike. He flinched and braced as the club came rushing down.

"Do something!" he heard an oddly familiar voice cry out.

The blow never connected.

"Move!" a second voice called.

Link turned his head to look back and saw that the moblin's arm had been bound in a chain. It strained to pull forward as a figure behind it dug their heels into the ground.

"Get the hookshot!" Sheik called out. "Aim for the throat!"

Link scrambled the rest of the way to his feet and ran, moving just in time. The moblin finally overpowered Sheik, swinging it's arm out, taking both Sheik and the chain with it. He landed about a dozen feet away, though he managed to roll and avoid the brunt of the force.

Sheik took a second to recover before calling out a command again. "Everyone attacks at once! It can't focus on all of us!"

Mido took the cue to dash in once again, aiming for the legs. Skull Kid vanished in a swirl of leaves, reappearing on top of the beast where he clung to the top of its head like a nuisance. The moblin let out an angry roar swinging its head wildly.

Sheik brandished a pair of knives and dashed in again, springing to and fro nimbly to deliver small slashes in the monster's flesh.

Link turned back and ran off to grab hold of the hookshot again, then turned back just barely out of range and took aim

The moblin swatted at its head and hit skull kid hard, dazing him enough to make him lose his grip.

It kicked, punting Mido like a ball. He sailed through the air and landed with a crunch and a pained cry and did not get back up.

The beast swung at Sheik with its club; he just barely managed to roll out of the way, but lost his footing in the rebound, leaving him open to a follow up attack.

Link let loose the hookshot with a yell. The spike flew through the air, whizzing as it climbed higher and higher and embedded itself deep in the jugular.

At first, it seemed like the attack had only done minor damage. The moblin froze, but still stood.

Sheik got to his feet, dashed over to Link, and yanked on the chain to wrench the spike free.

The moblin slowly brought a hand up to its neck as blood began to flow freely, quickly dribbling down its neck. It tried to cry out, but the sound came out garbled. It sank to its knees, then pitched forward, falling with a heavy thud. As a pool of blood began to spread out around it, bright blue flames burst from the body, filling the area around it with smoke. When it subsided, a normal-sized moblin remained in its place

Link retracted the hookshot, staring at the down beast with a mixture of shock, horror, and relief. He felt a hand rest on his shoulder, looking up to see Sheik standing next to him looking down.

"Good job," the man said. "That was a tough battle. How do you feel, Link?"

"Like…" Link started, trying to choose his words. But then the pain of being battered around hit him, and he slumped. "I need a few minutes." Before Sheik could say anything, Link dropped to the ground on his back.

"Shouldn't you help your friends first?" Sheik suggested.

Link stared up at him for a moment, silent. "Nah, sleep first." And before Sheik could protest, Link's eyes dimmed as he let himself fall unconscious.

"...they're okay?"

"They'll be fine. ...just… to recover…"

As Link tried to regain consciousness, he was aware of two things: the dull ache that spread through his whole body, and the two voices that he swore were familiar. But as he tried to move, his head swam, and he let the darkness of rest overtake him once more.

"Hey, Link, wake up already!"

Link groaned, rolled over onto his stomach, clenched his hands into fists, and began to sit up before his vision began to return. After a few seconds, he could make out Skull Kid staring at him a few feet away.

"How long was I out?" Link asked.

"Long enough," Skull Kid replied, offering out a hand. Link gave him his and allowed Skull Kid to help him to his feet. "You're the last one to wake up, actually."

After a second of consideration, Link took a second to look Skull Kid over. His left arm was held close to his chest and had been wrapped in cloth bandages. He could see stains of sap and uneven bits were the wood had been shattered and was still poking up. Otherwise he couldn't see any injuries, though it was possible they were under his clothing.

He took a second to look himself over. At first, he seemed uninjured, though perhaps a bit sore. But as he checked on the cracks in his chest, he realized that a few of them had worsened, spreading out further with fresh tainted sap leaking out, sticking to his clothes. Surprisingly, that part didn't hurt, something that he wasn't sure he should be thankful for.

He turned his head to the side to glance at Mido and get an idea of how well he was doing.

Mido probably looked the worst out of the three of them, his hair matted, and with one arm wrapped heavily in bandages, traces of blood smeared on his face. He was awake and alert, but certainly did not look well.

Link walked over to the boy at a slight limp, Skull Kid following behind. Mido raised a hand to greet them but winced from the movement and said nothing.

"How is everyone feeling?"

Link turned back and caught sight of Sheik approaching, pulling a bottle of red liquid out from a bag hung around his hip.

"Here," he said, holding it out to Link. "Everyone drink up. This should help you feel better. I only have one, so you'll have to share."

Link took a hold of the bottle, peeking inside. Skull Kid gave it a skeptical look, then crossed his arms.

"Why should we trust anything coming from _you_?" he grumbled.

Sheik blinked once, apparently caught off guard by his hostility. "I'm sorry?"

"You're an adult," Skull Kid said matter-of-factly, as if that was the only explanation needed.

Realization hit the sheikah at once. "Ah, of course." He crouched, lowering himself to Skull Kid's eye-level. "I know that might worry you, but please understand that I'm trying to help. I was a kid once too, you know."

Skull Kid stared at the man for a long moment. Then in a sudden movement, he stepped forward to try and stop on Sheik's toes. Unfortunately for him, Sheik seemed to be anticipating an attack and rolled out of the way.

He raised his hands up defensively. "Very well. I won't force you to do anything, of course." He paused for a moment before turning his attention back to Link and addressing him. "When you get a moment… I'd like to speak with you. I'll be waiting ahead."

With that, Sheik turned and began to walk towards the far side of the clearing, leaving the three forest dwellers alone.

Link spent a moment longer staring at the potion before giving in and taking a couple sips. Almost immediately, the dull ache went away, and he felt energy return to his body. After just a few sips, he passed it over to Mido.

The Kokiri stared at it skeptically for a moment, sniffing at it before speaking to Ren. "Hey… do you think this is ok?"

"It's probably good for you," Ren replied. "I've heard of Hylians making medicines that speed up your healing process and rejuvenate your energy. I bet that's what this is."

Link didn't stick around to find out if Mido or Skull Kid drank. His curiosity led him to follow Sheik further into the clearing, where the man had taken a seat on an old, gnarled stump, his eyes closed. Saria's stump.

As Link came to a stop in front of Sheik, he was reminded of the last time he had been here. Skull Kid had been upset he was leaving, and he and Saria had reassured him. In some ways, it felt like it was so long ago now, and at others, it felt like it had only just happened.

And yet here they were, everything still here, yet so different. And it would probably never be the same.

Sheik opened his eyes and caught sight of Link's forlorn glance. He let out a quiet hum.

"Thinking about your friends? About easier times?"

Linked stared for a moment before nodding slowly. "...Kind of, yeah…"

"Mm…"

The man stood up and dusted himself off, turning to look at the ledge above them.

"I understand. The flow of time is always cruel… Its speed seems different for each person, but no one can change it…" He trailed off, giving Link a moment to dwell on the thought while he reached into a bag at his hip. A moment later, he pulled out a harp, carefully plucking a few strings.

"A thing that doesn't change with time is a memory of younger days… Sometimes you might look back and think about something differently, but the memories stay the same."

He paused, his fingers hovering over the strings, and though Link could only see his eyes, he could tell Sheik had a thoughtful look on his face. "I need to teach you a song. With it and that ocarina you have, you'll have the power to wake the forest sage."

Getting the idea, Link reached for his ocarina. Sheik began to slowly pluck the notes, allowing Link a moment to play the note before continuing to the next one, then playing it all at once. Then again and again, until Link was able to play without hearing it first. While they performed, Skull Kid and Mido came over to see what was happening. The duet of ocarina and harp rang out over the silent clearing, playing a majestic minuet that personified the way time marched on though the forest: always growing, always changing. And yet, still the same.

Once he was satisfied with Link's performance, Sheik returned his harp to the bag. "You learn fast, Link. We should be thankful for that." He dusted his hands off, then took a step back. "I should get going. You have a sage to awaken, and I have other duties to attend to."

Link took a step forward. "But…"

Sheik took a few more steps back, slowly reaching into his bag. "Good luck, Link. I'll be waiting." As soon as the words were out of his mouth, he pulled something out of his bag and tossed it onto the ground. There was a bright flash of light that blinded the three boys. And by the time they could see again, Sheik was gone.

For a moment, the group was left in an uncomfortable silence. Mido was the first to speak up.

"So… are we going or not?"

Link gave him a small nod. "We should, are you okay?"

"Oh, that stuff the guy gave me worked great. I'm pretty sure I've stopped bleeding now" He flashed Link a thumbs up.

"I still think this is a bad idea," Ren mumbled before slipping back under Mido's cap.

Skull Kid crossed his arms. "Feh, I still say we can't trust him. But… I guess we gotta go anyways. At least he smelled nice."

He paused, glancing up to the ledge above them. "Up there, right?" Without waiting for an answer, he leaped into the air, disappearing in a flurry of wind and leaves, and reappeared on top.

"C'mon guys! I'm not going to wait forever!"

"Give me a second," Mido mumbled. "I'm not so good at magic." He took a deep breath, and slowly, he seemed to fade away, reappearing up on the ledge.

That left just Link. After a quick look revealed a branch hanging above the ledge, he looked into his bag for the hookshot, but paused, remembering how he had managed to use magic before.

Why not show how much he had improved?

He took a moment to focus, trying to draw in on that feeling he felt before, feeling of magic flowing through him, oozing up to coat him in a thick layer of power, drawing magic from the twisted trees of the Lost Woods.

But something went wrong.

As soon as he felt like he had tapped into his power, he felt a sharp pain in his chest, followed by a flare of a burning sensation. He cried out, dropping to his knees and grabbing hold of his chest.

 _Behave._

 _Give in to your desire._

 _I can give you back your power._

He let out a gasp, his head swimming and throbbing as he tried to discern the voice in his head.

"Link!"

He looked up to see Skull Kid looking down at him with concern. The boy jumped down from the ledge and stooped to eye-level. He put a hand on Link's shoulder and shook him gently.

"Hey, hey Link, answer me! Are you okay?"

Slowly, as he stared at Skull Kid, Link's head began to clear, his vision fuzzy for a moment. Slowly, the pain subsided.

"Link?"

"I tried to use magic," he mumbled. "It… hurt."

Skull Kid gave his shoulder a gentle squeeze. "It's okay, come on, you don't have to use magic for now. We can figure out what happened later, okay?"

Link nodded slowly, carefully climbing to his feet. This time, he used the hookshot as he had originally planned. The spike dug deep into the tree's wood, allowing him to pull himself up as the chain retracted. From the top, he was able to wrench the spike free.

Skull Kid appeared beside him seconds later, letting out a relieved sigh.

"Are we sure about this?" He asked. "Last chance to back out."

Link nodded. "I have to do this. For me and for everyone else."

Mido also nodded. "We have to help Saria."

Skull Kid let out a hum. "Thought so."

With that, he leaped forward, racing in ahead of the other two.

"Wait for me!" Mido rushed ahead.

Link followed slowly, filled with determination.

The excursion into the Forest Temple had begun.


	20. Plight of the Phantoms

**A/N:** _This chapter was originally supposed to go all the way to the Phantom Ganon fight, but it ended up being quite a bit longer than planned. So it ended up cut where it is. I suspect there will be 2 more chapters in Forest Temple arc. Why two instead of one? You'll have to wait and see!_

* * *

 _Plight of the Phantoms_

* * *

The trio passed through a crumbling stone archway as Mido, hoping to appear more confident, took the lead. A rusting iron gate that had long fallen off its hinges laid to the side, heralding their arrival in the forecourt of the temple. Tall stone walls blocked the yard on either side, hiding the view of the forest. An overgrown cobblestone path beckoned them towards the stairs ahead, wild and overgrown trees fringing the path on either side.

Mido sniffed the air and stuck out his tongue. "Oh yuck, you guys smell something?"

Link felt something nudge him in the side. He turned his head to see Skull Kid pointing at something with one hand and pinching the bridge of his beak with the other. Following his gaze, he caught sight of the corpse of a wolfos partially obscured by trees. At most it looked maybe three or four days dead. More interesting, however were the thick vines that wrapped unnaturally around the body, holding it in place, and the wildflowers that had already began to spring up underneath.

"Think Saria did that?" Skull Kid asked in a nasally voice. "She's got some of the best magic I know."

"Could be," Mido muttered, looking over his shoulder. "But she was always such a huge pacifist before. Then again, that was… before we lost the Deku Tree."

The Kokiri shook his head and began to walk again. "Doesn't matter anyways. Come on, we're wasting daylight."

Link took one last look before dashing ahead to catch up with the other two, stomping up a short set of stairs. Mido pushed on one of two large intricately carved and surprisingly intact wooden doors, sunlight filtering into a dimly lit hall. A thick layer of dust and dirt lined the floor, but a single set of footprints had been kicked up, leading further inside.

The atmosphere tense, Mido took the lead, with Link in the middle and Skull Kid bringing up the rear.

Soon, the hall opened up into a huge dome-shaped chamber, the walls an earthen brown. The roof was made of panes of blue glass, allowing the afternoon sun to shine down inside and light the room. Otherwise, there was no other light in the room, though Link could see the shape of four extinguished torches near the center.

The three made their way down to the center of the room, kicking up dust as they traveled down the staircase. At the center of the room, between the torches, was an oddly patterned tile that stood out from the rest of the stone.

"What do you suppose this place was for?" Ren asked. His voice echoed about the room.

"Ritual sacrifice," Skull Kid said in a matter-of-fact tone.

Ren let out an "eep" and ducked back under Mido's cap while the Kokiri gave Skull Kid a sour look.

"No, it's not. Do you think before you speak?"

"Nope!" Skull Kid replied cheerfully.

Mido sighed and shook his head. "Well, it's not some sort of sacrifice thing, okay?"

"How do _you_ know?"

"I just- look, do you see any blood around here? No? Ok."

"That doesn't prove anything. When was the last time anyone was here?"

Link sighed, ignoring the two bickering forest dwellers, and instead stuck his hand in his pocket to nervously run his fingers over the light medallion.

Ren, who had popped back out from Mido's hat in hopes of diffusing the situation, caught sight of the action and spoke up to address Link.

"What, um, what'cha got there?"

Link startled out of his thoughts, looking up towards the fairy. "Oh! Um… it's something a guy gave me and said to keep with me at all times. It's supposed to protect me from my curse, I think?"

"Ah, ok." Ren nodded sagely, closing his eyes. Then he rethought about the statement and had to do a double take. "Wait, curse? What do you mean, 'curse?'"

Ren's outburst caught Mido and Skull Kid's attention.

"Oh, I meant to ask, Link," Skull Kid began, ignoring Mido's confused look, "how do you know you can trust that guy? Adults aren't exactly nice people. He just told you to keep it, so you did, right?" As he spoke, he began to rummage around in Link's bag. He pulled out the boomerang and stuck it into his belt for safe keeping.

Link swatted Skull Kid's hand away, getting a giggle from him, before uneasily rubbing his arm. "I mean… I don't know for sure. I can't remember a bunch of stuff though, and I don't want to take a chance."

"Hey, you didn't answer my question!" Ren exclaimed. "What do you mean you're cursed? How did that happen? What kind of curse? Is it infectious?"

 _L…_

"I don't know," Link snapped, feeling very tired with this line of questioning. "I just said I don't know, I don't remember, I don't know for sure how I got cursed or anything about it, or how dangerous it is, or if I did anything bad because of it!"

 _Link…_

The three were stunned into silence by Link's outburst. Skull Kid was the first to speak. "Are you… feeling okay?"

 _Yes. Great._

Link slumped. "I'm… fine. Just… tired."

Skull Kid gave him an uncertain look, but eventually nodded. "Well… just be careful about trusting adults. They don't trust you and they'd turn on ya at a moment's notice.

"Besides," he added, his demeanor turning playful again. "An adult wouldn't know a good prank if you dropped it on them!"

That made Link feel ever-so-slightly better. He opened his mouth to say something, but decided against it, instead returning to the task at hand. "So… which way do we go?"

Skull Kid and Mido turned back to look towards the edges of the room. Link had a good point; several doors lead out of the big chamber, each in a different direction. Skull Kid took a few steps forward, straining to get a better look in the dim light.

"Hey what's…" As he struggled to get a better look, he _swore_ he saw a flicker of blue fire in a dark corner of the room. But it disappeared before he had a chance to confirm it.

"Mido, Link, did you see-" He cut off as he turned around. Mido had taken a few steps away, squinting at a spot in the opposite direction of where he had been looking.

But Link was gone.

* * *

He saw Saria, he was sure of it.

Link had seen the flash of green and immediately gone after it, not waiting to see if Skull Kid or Mido followed. Now he found himself standing in a courtyard, squinting in the sunlight, staring at vine-covered walls, as if that would help him find Saria.

He heard laughter.

Glancing up, he caught sight of a flash of green retreating on a balcony overhead. Figuring it must be Saria, he did the only logical thing he could think to do.

He began to climb.

* * *

"I don't like this," Ren mumbled.

"Something about this stinks," Mido agreed, "but what are we supposed to do? Ignore it? If Link disappeared that fast, we should be sticking together."

"Quiet down, will ya?" Skull Kid said over his shoulder.

Mido let out a huff, but did not argue, focusing on carefully climbing up the ladder in front of him.

After losing track of Link, the three had decided to go after the fire that Skull Kid had supposedly spotted in hopes of it leading to something useful. Maybe even Saria, if they were lucky. They now found themselves in some sort of maintenance backway, walking through twisting empty halls and climbing ladders as they made their way higher and higher up.

"Are you keeping track of which way we're going?" Mido asked Ren.

"Of course! What kind of fairy would I be if I couldn't keep directions?"

"I know, I know, it's just… don't you think we've been in here for a while?"

"It's been maybe ten minutes, Mido."

"You'd think we'd find an exit by now though," Skull Kid pointed out. "Otherwise this room seems like it's all twisty for no reason, and I know Hylians are weird but -" He suddenly cut off, swearing he saw a flicker of blue light against the wall ahead.

"Never mind. Come on, I think we're catching up!"

Skull Kid raced ahead, forcing Mido to run to catch up. But by the time he reached the corner, the light was gone. However, as he rounded the corner, the narrow halls opened up into a moderately-sized room. For the most part, the room was empty, save for a few decrepit items scattered about. A couple of empty buckets laid knocked over near one corner, and a few rusty gardening tools were strewn near a wall.

For a moment, Skull Kid considered grabbing one of the buckets and putting it on Mido's head as a joke, but decided it was poor timing. Still, he stored the idea away for later.

A moment later, Mido came up behind him, huffing and puffing. "Don't… don't do that! We don't… want to get… separated."

Skull Kid made an attempt at a sheepish smile. "Hey, I knew you were right behind me!"

"Said the same thing 'bout Link."

At that, the skull kid's smile faltered slightly. Oh, he hated being wrong. "Fine, fine," he said with a dismissive wave. "Now come on, there's nothing good here. No, Link, no Saria, and no weird blue flame, so I say we move on."

Mido grunted. "Fair enough."

Satisfied, Skull Kid stepped forward to open the door in front of them.

The other side was anything but natural. As he stared down the dark hall, he could see the floor begin to twist and warp, until the floor was where the left wall should be on the other side.

Mido took one look inside and laughed nervously. "Heh heh, after you?"

Skull Kid rolled his eyes. "Oh, you're such a baby." But he didn't argue, instead taking a few steps inside, nervously feeling the incline of the floor below him.

The door slammed shut behind him.

At once, Skull Kid whirled around and grabbed the handle. But it quickly became obvious that the door was locked, and that all he could do was rattle the handle uselessly.

"Mido, what the heck! What was that for? Come on, open up!"

No sound came from the other side. Skull Kid tried slamming his weight against the door, but even that wasn't good enough.

Letting out a sigh, he turned his back to the door and focused instead on the twisting hall. Fine, if Mido didn't want to travel with him, then he'd go on ahead and find both Saria and Link by himself!

He began to walk down the twisting hallway and oddly, he seemed to stick to the floor, even as it twisted to the side. The air was heavy and oppressive with magical energy, but it wasn't the forest magic he knew so well, but instead something that made feel anxious and ill.

Soon, he found himself in an odd room. He stood atop a ledge that dropped sharply into a pit that was at least twice as deep as he was tall. Another similar ledge was to his right, leading to another doorway. At one time, perhaps the floor had been filled with water, or perhaps there had been some sort of bridge between the two ledges. Whatever the purpose of the room had been, he had no interest in figuring it out or sticking around any longer than he needed to.

Effortlessly, Skull Kid jumped across the gap to the other ledge, trying the door there. Fortunately, this one was unlocked, swinging open with ease, creaking on its hinges.

The room beyond was an unlit stairwell, forcing Skull Kid to carefully navigate with only the light from his eyes to guide him. He let his hand brush along the vine-covered wall as he moved deeper and deeper into the room, until he came to a corner, then he turned, repeating the action as he carefully descended to the bottom of the room. As he reached the bottom, he caught sight of movement in the darkness. Carefully, he reached for his flute, ready to strike. But soon, the figure turned, revealing two glowing blue orbs flickering in the darkness.

He stared for a moment before it clicked. "Link? Is that you?"

The figure stepped closer, revealing the other skull kid. He let out a sigh of relief.

" _There_ you are. Where did you go? You just disappeared on us back in the big room!"

Link was silent, staring at him blankly for a moment before responding in a quiet voice. "Oh, sorry. I thought I saw Saria, so I went looking for her."

Skull Kid sighed again. "Don't worry me like that! There's something weird going on here. Mido and I were together but got separated when a door slammed between us."

"Are you sure he didn't do that… himself, on purpose?"

Skull Kid opened his mouth to say something, then closed it just as quickly. "Well… no I'm not. But why would he do something like that?"

"To have Saria all to himself," Link replied.

"Well…" Skull Kid tilted his head. "...Maybe? Would he really do that?"

"Why not? Since when did he become friends with us? Or friends with you?"

"I guess you have a point…"

To that, Link nodded before reaching down to take Skull Kid's hand. He spoke in a hushed whisper. "Well, who needs him? Come on, I want to show you something!"

Before Skull Kid could have a chance to argue, Link tugged ahead, leading him through a set of double doors into a big, round chamber.

"Wait here, I'll be right back."

* * *

"Isn't it lovely?"

Link looked up from the ornate bow, startled. He'd long lost track of how long he'd been following Saria, though she'd failed to address him until now. How many vines had he climbed? How many corridors had he raced down in an attempt to keep up?

The Kokiri laughed, filling Link with warmth for a moment. Oh, how he'd missed the sound of her voice.

"You know, you can keep it, if you want. Nobody else is going to use it."

Link looked back down to the bow, tilting his head. Carefully, he picked it up, testing its weight. It was by no means small; nearly as long as his torso, it was obviously made for someone larger than him.

"I dunno…" he mumbled. "I mean, I don't even know how to use a bow…"

"Oh, don't worry," Saria replied with a giggle. "I'm sure you can learn pretty fast. Why don't we try practicing? Oh!" She clapped her hands together. "I know! You can practice shooting that picture up there!"

She pointed, leading Link's gaze upwards to an ornate frame hanging above him. While Link considered it, Saria moved to sit on the stage behind him.

Relenting, Link picked up the bow, as well as the quiver sat beside it, and walked over to stand in front of the stage. Taking a single arrow, he fumbled for a moment before figuring out how to to knock it. Then, with a bit of effort, he pulled the string back and released.

The arrow flew miserably through the air before landing on the ground several feet back from the target.

"Not bad for your first try!" Saria said with a single clap. "Next time though, try pulling back further. And make sure you've got fingers on both sides of the arrow."

Link took a second to look at Saria before reaching for another arrow. This time, he made sure to follow Saria's instructions, and took aim carefully. When he let go, the arrow whizzed through the air, embedding in the painting with a satisfying _thunk_.

Grinning, he turned to look at Saria again. "Like that?"

The girl responded with a serene smile. "Good job, Link!"

Link rubbed the back of his head sheepishly in response.

Saria hopped down from her ledge, approaching Link. "Alright, why don't you get that stuff put up so we can get going then? After all, everyone's been waiting for you to return."

At that, Link tilted his head. "Really?" Despite his question, he did sling the quiver over his shoulder, then - with a bit of effort - managed to hook his bow to a couple of clasps on the strap.

To his question, Saria giggled. "Oh, of course. We've all waited so long for your return. And now that you're back, we can work on making things go back to normal here, and everything can return to what it's supposed to be."

Link's smile faltered. "We… Can?"

"Of course we can, Link. There's just one thing. You'll have to get rid of that medallion in your bag."

* * *

"It won't open!"

Mido shook and rattled the door helplessly. But no matter how hard he pulled or pushed it wouldn't budge.

"This isn't normal," Ren said. Mido could feel the fairy trembling up against his scalp. " _Please_ , let's go back. Maybe we can get some other Kokiri to help, if you're set on finding Saria."

Letting out a sigh, Mido let his hands drop from the handle. "No, we're not leaving. We can't abandon her. But we'll go back to the main chamber and try to find another way around."

He turned to leave but had only gotten a few steps away when he heard the door creak behind him. Freezing in place, he slowly turned his head. A familiar green-haired girl stepped out of the door, holding a torch in one hand.

"Saria?"

The girl let out a light-hearted giggle, tilting her head to the side. "Oh, there you are! I was wondering when I'd find you."

Mido let out a relieved sigh. "I _knew_ I'd find you first. You didn't, um… You didn't happen to pass the skull kid when you came through, did you?"

"Hmm?" Saria shook her head. "No one but you. But things get a bit twisted in this part of the temple. Part of the forest's magic, I suppose.

"That's… a fair point. Huh. I guess we should go find them."

Mido stepped forward, reaching for the door handle as Saria stepped aside. As he stepped into the carpeted hallway, she pushed past him to take the lead.

"This way, then," she said with a gesture of her hand. Then she began to walk, leading him down the hall and into an empty room with a pit. There, she paused in front of the hole.

"How have things been out there?" she asked.

"Um… Not all that great," Mido admitted. "Since you left, Kokiri Forest has been completely overrun. Mad Scrubs that allied themselves with outsiders guard everything, and it's dangerous for anyone to go outside alone because of that."

He paused, letting out a long sigh. "I wish the Deku Tree were still here. Do you think he'll really be able to come back?"

Saria responded with a shrug. "He might, but even if he does, Ganondorf will just kill him again. He won't be able to come back unless the curse set here lifts though."

"I…" Mido hesitated, thinking on Saria's words for a moment. "Yeah… I guess you're right. Then maybe we should get going."

Saria hummed in agreement, though she waited still at the edge of the ledge. "Can I ask you something, though? What made you brave enough to come along, instead of staying behind hiding like everyone else?"

At this, Ren popped his head out from underneath Mido's cap. "Um… Mido?" he started.

Mido glanced up to his fairy then back to Saria. A sudden feeling of unease filled the room.

"Saria…" Mido started slowly, choosing his words carefully, "let me ask you something first, actually. Before our weird conversation with that ocarina earlier… what was the last thing we talked about. What was the last thing you said to me?"

Saria's face flickered with uncertainty for just a moment. "Oh, um… why?"

Mido frowned. "Just… answer the question. Please."

"Of… course." Saria smiled widely, staring at him blankly. Too widely, perhaps. "We… talked about…"

As she continued to stall, Mido drew his sword. "If you're really Saria, you should know why I made myself brave enough to be here. And you should know the answer to my question. Answer it."

"Haha, oh, Mido, you're so silly. Hah…" She laughed. Lightly at first. Then the laughter became more erratic, and she jerked forward towards Mido unnaturally, and shoved him before he could react.

Mido stumbled, teetering uneasily on the edge for a moment before falling into the pit. He let out a scream, landing hard on his back.

Slowly, he sat up in a daze. Saria leapt down a few seconds later, landing gracefully on her feet with the torch still in her hand. But as she looked up at him, Mido had to choke back a horrified scream.

The skin on her face had started to melt, dripping and oozing. Her hair, too seemed to melt, the green mixing in with her skin. She let out a shrill scream that quickly turned to unnatural, broken laughter. The rest of her body was melting, skin dripping away from her fingers and turning to shadow as it hit the ground.

Soon, a straw hat began to emerge from the melty mess, and then red rags. Unblinking, glowing yellow eyes flickered beneath the dissolving skin. And as the poe's shadowy body finally came free from her disguise, she let out an unearthly, shrieking spectral laugh.

Mido scrambled backwards, trying and failing to get up to his feet for a moment, before rolling so that he was on his knees. The poe's head tilted at an unnatural angle. Slowly she began to advance closer. And as Mido finally climbed to his feet, she began to spin, holding out her torch like a weapon.

"Run!" Ren cried out.

Letting out a yelp, Mido sprang out of the way as the poe came barreling past. Her momentum was too much; she barreled past before her spinning slowed.

Already, Mido was practically hyperventilating, eyes wide as he glanced about the room for a way out. The ledges were unfortunately far too high for him to jump, and he was too stressed to be able to focus his magic. That left only two options, he realized grimly.

Fight or die.

Mido yelped and hopped out of the way as the Poe came around for another attack, so close that he felt the heat of the flame as she passed by.

He spun around to face her, placing his hand on the hilt of his sword. A deep breath.

"Okay. O- ...Okay. You got this, Mido."

He shuddered as the poe let out a shrill screech and came around for another strike. Holding his sword up, he lashed out as she drew close.

Sword struck against metal torch with a resounding clang.

Mido's arm ached from the force of the blow, and he had to grab onto the hilt with his other hand to keep his balance. For a moment, the two held their stance, neither able to push the other away, nor willing to give their position away.

He thought of Saria. Mido managed a burst of strength, pushing the poe back.

He thought of the Deku Tree, of the father they'd lost. He rushed forward.

He thought of all the Kokiri hiding in their homes, praying that Farore would liberate them and make the forest safe like it once was. He thrust his sword.

His strike got past the poe's defenses, burying it deep within her chest. She let out an alarmed cry, then went stiff.

"H-how did you-"

Mido did not smile. But he let out a single, huffed laugh. "I thought of everyone that still needs me. I promised Saria that I would be brave, for everyone else in the forest who can't."

With a downward movement, he wrenched his sword free. The poe stared for a moment, then laughed. The eerie laughter permeated the room, growing louder and louder until it rattled his brain. It was everywhere, inescapable.

"Well, isn't that just so clever," She said with a shrill laugh. "Too bad it won't do you good in the end. My sisters will avenge me. And then the three of you will be trapped here forever too! Come, join us in the afterlife!" She jerked suddenly, shuddering and stumbling forward with a clawed, shadowy hand outstretched.

Mido cried out in alarm and lashed out, catching the hand that was holding the torch. The blade sliced clean through the hand, lopping it off. It and the torch fell to the ground with a loud clatter, shadows dissipating and evaporating away.

Once again, she let out a shrill cry. But this time, her body become enveloped in flame. Mido dropped his sword and covered his ears in an attempt to drown out the sound. But it reverberated inside his head. Making him want to scream right back.

The shadows began to evaporate away, eaten up by the light. But finally, after a moment, her pained screams died away, leaving the room in an echoing silence.

All that was left of her was the torch with the red flame.

For a moment, Mido was afraid to move. He stared cautiously at the flame and looked around as if he expected to be jumped at any moment. But finally, after several more minutes of caution, he let out a sigh, and reached down to retrieve and sheath his sword. Then, with a bit of hesitation, he reached down to grab the torch.

The flame stayed where it was.

For a moment.

Mido let out a yelp and jumped back in alarm as the flame rose into the air. It hovered there for a moment, then began to slowly float back the way they came. Mido stared after it for a moment, uncertain of what to do, before Ren popped back out.

"I've never seen a poe soul like that before, have you?"

In response Mido shook his head.

"We should try and catch it," Ren suggested. "Maybe we could get her to tell us where her sisters are or use it for bargaining. You know, so they won't kill us?"

At that, Mido gulped. "You... might have a good point. Okay, hold on."

The Kokiri took a deep breath, focusing as he prepared to teleport, he imagined the magic flowing through him, rushing around him like the wind. A moment later, he'd disappeared and reappeared back on the ledge.

Mido took a moment to rub his temples, a headache forming from expending magic. After a moment of reorientation, he shook his head and looked down the hall just in time to spot the red flame travel through the door.

He clenched his fists and darted off. "Come on, Ren!" he called back. "We gotta catch that thing before it gets away!"

So, focused on catching the poe, he temporarily put Link, Skull Kid, and even Saria out of his mind. After all, catching the poe would help them all in the end, right?

* * *

Skull Kid waited and waited and waited some more in the round room, pacing for several minutes playing games in his head, before finally slumping against the wall with a pout on his face. At one point, he almost pulled a lever he spotted at the far side of the room. Oh, how his fingers itched to pull the lever and see what happened.

What was taking Link so long? Couldn't he hurry up and get back already?

After what felt like an eternity, the door creaked open. Around the corner peeked familiar ash-brown bark.

Link looked back behind him, then swung the door all the way open and stepped inside.

A single animated skeleton followed behind a few seconds later, its bones clanking and rattling in light armor as it walked forward to stand behind Link.

Skull Kid was never one to memorize all the beasts and spirits that walked the world, and he was more familiar with stal children. But he'd watched enough adults become lost in the forest - running and stumbling through the trees in fear until the magic of the Lost Woods overtook them - to recognize a stalfos when he saw one.

Even as a spirit, he was still wary of the adult creature. In seconds he had sprang to his feet and taken up an uneasy defensive stance. But the stalfos made no attempt to attack him, nor did it attack Link.

Linked cracked a wide, toothy grin, turning slightly to gesture at the stalfos. "Look what I found!" He paused. "Or, um, who. I guess I should say. Sorry, Jules."

In response the stalfos rattled for a moment, before opening its jaw. The voice that came out was like an ethereal hiss.

"Do not worry," the stalfos hissed. "I can forgive this minor transgression."

Skull Kid eyed the stalfos skeptically, looking between him and Link.

"Um... where did you find him exactly?"

"Oh, he was just hanging around in the temple, I decided to bring him along. It might be fun!"

He considered for a moment, before taking a few steps forward, leaning towards Link to whisper to him. "Um... don't you think that's a little fishy? I mean, didn't Saria say this place was overrun with monsters?"

Link gave Skull Kid a mock-wounded expression. "Skull Kid! Jules isn't a monster. Jules is a friend! How would you feel if people went around calling you a monster?"

It was subtle, but Skull Kid flinched, clenching and unclenching his fists. "That's... I mean. Okay, he's not a monster, he's a spirit just like you and me. Sorry. But he is an adult, and you can't change that!"

Something about this whole thing felt wrong to Skull Kid. Off. Why would Link be hanging around with a stalfos? Why would Link be hanging around with an adult? The magic was just as oppressive here as it had been in the twisted hallway.

Then again, Link had to be around adults all the time in his journey, didn't he? Perhaps he'd grown desensitized to it.

Still skeptical, but less cautious now, Skull Kid let out a sigh and shook his head. "It's fine. Sorry." Forcing himself to perk up, he twisted his beak into some semblance of a grin and clasped his hands together. "So, are we going to go find Saria or what?"

Link hesitated. "About that..."

Skull Kid began to open his mouth, but Link cut him off, spreading his hands out in front of him. "Wait! Before you say anything, let me explain! Look, I just... Jules wants to show us something first. Right, Jules?"

The stalfos nodded, stepping back to circle around to a lever on the far side of the room. He reached one bony hand up to clasp it and pulled down with all his might.

There was a loud groaning noise as the stone shook around them. But then slowly, the middle section of the floor rose up, revealing a hole beneath the room. Skull Kid had to spring back as the floor shifted under him, beginning to rise into the air.

Link also stepped back, gesturing to the hole once the stone quit moving.

"Look down there."

Despite his hesitations, Skull Kid complied, looking into the dimly lit hole. Though he couldn't see very well, he could see movement shifting below, bone lit by the glowing eyes of at least a dozen stalfos milling about, some cleaning their armor, while others lounged against a wall.

"Pretty neat, right?" Link said.

Skull Kid looked up. "I... guess? ...No, I don't get it, what's so neat about it?"

"All these stalfos just standing around. You ever wonder what kind of stuff happened here?"

"Not... really? Link we've literally never been here before today. It just wasn't interesting enough."

"Allow me to explain," the stalfos that called himself Jules said. "The Forest Temple was abandoned by the royal family centuries ago, when the forest became overgrown and twisted."

"And?"

"And when the Lost Woods formed, it caused the creation of my fellow stalfos. We were stationed here when the woods became warped and became lost in the chaos. Since then, many other unfortunate souls have become like us. Other stalfos. Other skull kids like the two of you. Children lost to the woods. Lost to fear."

"I don't remember feeling very scared."

He tilted his head forward, locking eyes with Skull Kid. "We've finally been given a chance to change things, child. Join us in taking back the temple, and then we'll move out to take back the rest of the forest and take revenge on the magic that created us. That stole away our afterlife and left us linked to this world."

Skull Kid rocked on his heels for a moment. "What do you think about this Link?"

"Isn't it great, Skull Kid?" Link asked. "We could get back at the forest for doing this to us." He paused to gesture to his wooden body. "We could finally feel safe again!"

Skull kid paused for a moment, looking Link over. He glanced to the stalfos, then back to Link. "I... Think..."

Link leaned forward just a bit.

Skull Kid grabbed his flute tightly in his hands fingering the holes in it nervously.

"I think…"

Suddenly, Skull Kid raised the flute to his mouth and shot a dart at Link before diving forward, tackling him to the ground. "I think your ruse is up! You obviously don't know anything about Link, or me!"

Link yelped as he stumbled and fell to the ground, Skull Kid pinning him down with one hand. Skull Kid raised a fist as the other forest spirit struggled beneath him, preparing to deliver a blow to the face.

"Wait-wait! Stop! Skull Kid please! Don't hurt me!"

For just a second, he hesitated, doubt crossing his face.

His hesitation was met with Link's body bursting into mystical fire.

Skull Kid immediately scrambled back, beating at the flames that had managed to ignite along the bottom of his tunic and on the hand he'd used to pin the fake Link down. A loud pop sounded as sap in his arm near the fire boiled, sending a shooting pain up through his body. By the time he'd managed to put out the flames with a combination of rolling them out and weak wind magic, the outside of his hand had blackened.

Clutching the injured hand to his chest, Skull Kid looked up to see the creature that played at being Link had risen several feet into the air, still surrounded by that mystical fire. The body burned and crackled, dissolving away like ash as it screamed in Link's voice. Soon, all that was left of "Link" were those glowing blue eyes. In his place remained a poe, shadows bulging and retracting as it returned to its normal form. One hand was free. The other held a torch with blue flame.

She let out a shrill, echoing laugh, and gestured to the stalfos, who pushed the lever back again, making the stone begin to fall back towards its normal place.

"Whee hee hee!" she cried out. "You should have taken the offer while you had a chance!"

Before Skull Kid could come up with a witty reply, she charged, holding the torch out in front of her. Skull Kid was forced warp with his magic to avoid the attack, reappearing at a point behind her. The stone screeched and groaned and settled into place a moment later, giving him more room to run around.

But on the negative side, the stalfos was now unoccupied, able to rush the skull kid with his sword. Skull Kid sprang out of the way as he brought his blade down, hearing it clang against stone in the spot he'd just been. He shuddered involuntarily as he looked over his two opponents - one with a long stabbing sword and one with deadly fire - and realized that armed with nothing but a flute, a bunch of darts, and Link's boomerang, his odds were not looking good.

The poe charged first, swinging her torch in a flaming arc. Skull Kid sprang backwards. But the stalfos was prepared for him. It charged at an angle, trying to meet him where he dodged. He had to duck, holding tight to his hat, to avoid a slice aimed at his neck. Low to the ground, he charged at the stalfos shoulder-first in hopes of knocking him off balance.

His shoulders knocked into the skeleton's legs, throwing him off guard for a moment, but it wasn't enough to knock him over entirely. Skull Kid still took the moment of disorientation to reach up with his good hand, trying to wrench the sword free from the stalfos' arm. For a moment, it seemed like he might manage to pull it free.

Then the stalfos bashed him over the head with its shield. Stunned, Skull Kid lost his grip, and nearly fell to the floor. He shook his head in an attempt to clear it of his stupor, just in time to see the stalfos raise the sword over his head. In a panic, he warped, reappearing on the floor a few feet away. He took a deep breath and climbed to his feet, desperately avoiding another fire attack from the poe. Again, he warped, crossing the room to get some space to think.

He reached down for the boomerang he had borrowed, an idea crossing his mind. It was a slim chance, but it was the only idea he had.

He held it, took aim, and threw. The curved weapon spun through the air. And with some luck, he managed to strike the stalfos in the neck, knocking his head loose.

The rest of Jules' bones began to stumble about, trying to figure out where his head was. Skull kid rushed forward and kicked the loose head just as it began to let out an unholy screech, sending it flying across the room. With one opponent incapacitated, he ducked under another attack from the poe and dashed towards the stalfos' body, reaching up in an attempt to pull the sword arm loose.

It wasn't an easy process; most of a stalfos' magic was dedicated to keeping their body together, and just pulling was rarely enough. But after having his head loose knocked loose with a blow, he was still disoriented, and one violent jerk was enough for Skull Kid to pull the sword arm loose.

Disconnected, the arm began to jerk and twitch violently. But alone like this, the arm couldn't keep a good grip on the sword, allowing Skull Kid to pull it loose. He lifted the long blade up, holding it awkwardly with both hands, despite the pain in his left hand, swung it at the still disoriented stalfos body. And then again, knocking bone after bone loose, until he had to dodge out of the way of the flames once again.

At least he was in a groove now. He began to hop and jump around, dancing out of the way of blows from the poe as she struck out again and again, avoiding the scattered bones as they shook and rattled and tried to reform into a full skeleton. Right now, the loose torso was running around wildly, giving him something else to avoid.

She was getting mad, her strikes coming faster and more erratic. The poe struck out. With some effort, he raised the sword to awkwardly block the attack, stumbling a few feet back in the process.

She was relentless, striking again and again to drive him further back, closer and closer to the wall. At one point, he attempted a warp, reappearing behind her in an attempt to attack, but she expected that, meeting his strike with one of her own. And then they started the same dance over.

He was starting to grow tired. Darkness swam at the corner of his vision as she drove him back once again. Out of the corner of his eye, he could see the stalfos, his torso nearly reformed. If he couldn't finish her off before he finished reforming... he didn't want to think about what they'd do. About the flames that had already threatened him once.

Desperate, he planted his feet and raised his injured hand up to steady his blade. The sudden resistance was enough to throw off the poe, leaving her open for attack. Instead of trying to swing the blade, he instead dashed in to tackle the semi-corporal being, knocking her back a few feet. Then he used the sword, swinging it up in an attempt to slice her shadows open.

He failed to cut all the way through, but his cut was enough to rip open the spirit's robe, a few droplets of shadow falling loose as the fabric that helped her keep form became damaged.

She let out a pained scream that sounded like scraping nails, flying a few feet back out of the way of the blade.

Out of the corner of his eye, Skull Kid spotted the boomerang. He carelessly tossed the sword aside, no longer wanting to try to keep using it, and instead dashed to grab the boomerang. Then he rushed back towards the reeling poe.

With a battle cry, he began trying to use the boomerang almost like a dagger, swinging it sideways at the poe. On the downside, it forced him to draw close, risking being burned once again. On the other, he was able to move much faster with it, striking at the poe over and over again. Now he was the one driving her back, slicing at shadow with all the strength he could muster. When she managed to get a swing in, he'd warp, changing the direction of his attack.

Until finally, he was able to lash out, using both hands to grab hold of the torch, clamping his mouth shut to keep himself from letting out a pained scream. The poe let out a shrill noise, screaming as he tried to wrench the torch free. But then she tried to instead thrust it towards him, trying to push the flame into his face. He responded by kicking her, finally pushing her away, making her lose her grip.

The shadowy poe was knocked backwards, letting out a wail. With the torch now in his grip, Skull Kid held it with his good hand and rushed the living shadow, thrusting the flame towards the poe. She screamed and wailed in agony, bursting into blue fire. Refusing to let her escape, he held the torch in place as the shadows evaporated into ashen flecks, forcing himself to not flinch at the heat of the fire, until nothing was left but the torch.

He let out a relieved sigh and turned back to retrieve the boomerang. It was then that he remembered the reforming stalfos.

The skeleton had nearly finished reforming now, currently in the process of getting his head on straight. Skull Kid gulped and put himself into a defensive stance. But before he could do anything, the flame of the torch began to float into the air and drift behind him.

Skull Kid turned his head, mystified for just a moment. Then it struck him that he might not have killed the actual poe. The stalfos forgotten, he turned and dashed after the flame as it disappeared through a door, opening and slamming the door behind him.

"Hey, wait for me!"

* * *

"The medallion, Link," Saria said, holding out a hand. "Please."

Slowly, Link reached down into his bag, pulling out the shiny gold medal, and ran his fingers over the design. For a moment, he hesitated, looking at it, then back to Saria. "But... I need it? It's supposed to keep me safe."

Saria tilted her head to the side. "Do you really need it though? Or did someone just tell you that? How do you know you need it? Who told you?"

Link hesitated, raising then dropping one hand. "It was... and old guy in this weird watery place. He said I needed it to hold back a curse."

"Really?" Saria asked. "How do you know he's telling the truth? How do you know you're cursed in the first place? And if you are, how do you know this medallion isn't actually spreading the curse instead of holding it back?"

Link opened his mouth to reply, then closed it, the words failing to come out of his mouth. "I..." He... didn't... know for sure.

"Hm..." Saria tapped her chin in thought, lowering her outstretched hand. "Let's try this: how much do you remember? Do you remember being cursed?"

For a moment, Link paused, trying to think back past the static in his head. "I remember being... struck in the chest by a bolt of magic. But... after that, I can't remember anything until I woke up."

She placed her arms behind her back. "I see... So how do you know that 'bolt' of magic was a curse, if you can't remember what happened." Her face lit up, and she snapped her fingers. "I got it! That medallion must be locking away your memories. Why not give it to me, and we'll get your memories back."

"But..."

Saria scoffed. "Oh, come now, Link, don't you trust me? If things start to go bad, I can just give it back to you."

Once again, Link hesitated, holding the medallion. "I... Trust you... but..." He took a deep breath and began to hold the medallion out towards her. But just as she reached up to take it, he yanked it back, earning a frown from the Kokiri.

"Wait!" he cried out. "I just... I'm not sure I want to remember. What if... What if I did something really bad."

Saria continued to hold her arm out. "Well, you'll never know unless you try, right?"

She did have a point, Link realized. But something still felt off to him. Something wasn't right. As he stared an impatient looking Saria in front of him, he racked his brain for an answer. Everything she said was a valid point. So why didn't this feel right?

And then it hit him.

"Saria..." he began slowly, looking her over. "...How did you know about the medallion?"

The Kokiri stared at him with a confused expression, tilting her head. "Didn't you... tell me about it?"

Link thought for a moment, back to the conversation he'd had through the ocarina before. Then he replied to Saria. "No. No, I haven't."

Saria lowered her gaze, bringing her hand up to her chin. "That... can't be right. I know you told me about it. You had to have. You must be forgetting. You already said you're having memory troubles, so that's reasonable."

"I shouldn't forget something like that though." Link pointed out. "I've only talked to you once since I woke up." Even so, he felt hesitant once again. Had he talked to her since? He had no clue. Or perhaps he was missing a memory of another conversation? Saria had said before that he'd talked to her before. Maybe he'd mentioned the medallion then?

No, he couldn't have. Because he'd only just gotten the medallion when he left the sacred realm. As far as he knew, at least.

"I'm sorry," he mumbled. "I just... I don't want to risk it. I can't take that chance."

Saria was beginning to grow visibly agitated. "Come now, Link, you're just making everything harder. If you don't hand that over, you'll be letting everyone down. You'll be leaving them to suffer at the hands of monsters. Is that what you want? Maybe you want them to suffer, because you're a monster too."

Link flinched, clutching the medallion close to his chest. "No! No, I'm not!"

"How can you be certain, Link? You can't even remember what you've done."

"I'm not a monster," he said. Then he repeated it. "I'm not a monster. I'm not."

"Then prove it," Saria said, holding out her hand again. "Give me the medallion, so that you can save everyone."

Link looked Saria over once more, shrinking in on himself as he worried about the precious medallion. "But if I give it to you and I'm cursed, I'll hurt you."

"For the last time, you're not cursed!" Saria threw her hands in the air. "If anything, you're blessed with power far beyond your own."

She held out her hand again. "Give. Me. The. Medallion."

Link shrank back. Saria advanced. In a moment of panic, Link lashed out, slapping Saria across the face with an open hand. The Kokiri recoiled, sent sprawling to the ground.

Letting out an alarmed cry, he dropped to his knees next to her. He placed the medallion back in his bag, then reached down with both hands, letting them hover anxiously over her for a moment before trying to shake her shoulder. "I'm sorry I'm sorry!"

Saria sprang up and turned, tackling and pinning Link to the ground.

Link finally realized that something was very wrong. Where Saria's eyes had been were only empty sockets. A blaze of green flared to life in the holes just a second later. Her expression was twisted into a nasty scowl.

He struggled and kicked beneath the girl, trying to push away the arm holding him down.

"You shouldn't have done that," the creature masquerading a Saria said. But now, it didn't sound like Saria, or at least not like Just Saria. It seemed like a legion of voices accompanied hers.

The fake Saria reached down into his bag, shuffling around in an attempt to find the medallion.

Link cried out and finally managed to knee her in the groin, causing enough pain for him to wiggle free. He scrambled to his feet and retreated several feet back.

The fake climbed to her feet, jerking erratically as she turned to look at him.

"I sense it in you," the creature said. "That black stain on your soul. Ganondorf claimed you for his army. And yet you stand in opposition before me. Oh, this simply won't do."

With a snap of her fingers, a torch with green fire appeared in her left hand. "You have a choice to make, Link. Either come back to our side willingly, or I'll either take that medallion from you or kill you, it matters little to me."

Link put his hands at his sides, clenching his fists. Now that the truth was out, he wasn't hurt. He was angry. "Hey! Give back Saria!"

The fake Saria laughed haughtily. "Give her back? You really are a fool if you still think I'm Saria! No, dear boy, the real Saria is somewhere within the depths of this temple. Soon, our boss will strike her down, dooming the resurrection of the new sages before they can even begin!"

Letting out a battle cry, Link rushed at the faker with his fists raised, ready to strike her with all his might. But she stepped aside easily.

"You'll have to try harder than that!" she mocked making a downwards striking motion with her torch, aiming for Link.

Link turned his back, letting the torch hit there. It bounced harmlessly off of the shield on his back, green fire burning harmlessly against it. It did not, however, stop him from reeling from the force of the blow. He stumbled, nearly falling to his knees.

Gritting his teeth to choke back a cry, he whipped around to kick at her legs in an attempt to sweep her feet out from underneath. The fake Saria fell to the ground with a startled noise. Link took the opportunity to put some space between them once again.

He reached back wincing in pain as he grabbed hold of the master sword. Whatever this monster was, he could not risk a drawn-out fight. He'd either end up burned, or knocked out eventually, and he feared what might happen if she got ahold of his medallion.

He cried out in pain as the sword tried to fight him yet again, his arms trembling. The fake Saria stood back up, a smirk on her face as she marched forward.

"So, what are you going to do, Link?" the monster asked, her voice hissing. "I wonder... would you be able to strike down your friend?"

Link held his ground, but his grip on the sword felt weak as she stepped closer and closer.

"So, what will it be?" the fake Saria asked, stepping close with a too-wide grin. "Will you prove yourself a monster by striking down your friend?"

 _Link_

Link felt a buzzing tingling feeling the back of his head.

 _Str... ...own._

He could hear just the slightest voice in his head, barely more than a whisper.

 _Link... Strike…_

 _Strike... down..._

 _Strike her down._

 _Give in._

 _Attack!_

She rushed forward, swinging her torch in an arc. Link raised up the sword, feeling the force of the blow reverberate through his blade.

She brought the torch back, preparing to strike again.

Link turned his head, cried out and swung the sword.

Another blow never came.

As he hesitantly looked back, he could see Saria clutching her stomach. But no blood leaked from the wound. Instead, shadows emerged, evaporating into the air in thin wisps

She let out a cough, then gave a meanspirited grin, beginning to laugh.

"Heh, you're stronger than I expected," the fake Saria said, showing off her teeth.

The laughter grew louder as misty smoke began to come off of her body, growing thicker and thicker before she burst into flame with a shrill, pained scream. Link watched in horror as the body burned away. Between the flames, he caught sight of a body of shadow draped in green cloth. It continued to burn even then, the creature thrashing, dropping the torch in the process. And then in a strong flash of light, she was gone, leaving only the fire behind.

Link dropped the Master Sword, the holy blade clattering to the ground in front of him. He dropped to his knees, staring at the spot the fake Saria had been in just a moment before. His hands trembled as he reached into the bag to grab the medallion and hold it close to his chest, like a lifeline.

He almost handed it over. He'd almost turned himself back to the darkness. Almost turned on everything he was supposed to be saving.

He'd killed creatures that attacked him before. But this was different. This monster wore the skin of his friend as he struck it down.

He dropped lower to sit on his bottom, eyes staring at nothing in the empty room. What if that had been the real Saria? Although he was quite sure it wasn't, what if it had been?

 _Well done._

He cried out as a sharp pain throbbed in his chest and held the medallion tighter. His head ached, pounding and buzzing. For just a fleeting second, he saw a vision of blood on his hands, small orbs of light drifting away around him. But it was gone as quickly as it came, leaving him alone and in pain in the room.

Anxiety got the better of him; his breath hitched as he tried to cling to the fleeting memory, trying to sort out what the vision was. What had he done under Ganondorf's control, and why couldn't he remember it? Had he hurt people he cared about? Had he lured Saria to her death, possibly? He began to reach for the ocarina, but fear of an unanswered call made him retract his hand.

Link curled up into a tight ball and let out a sob, desperately trying to calm himself in the empty room.


	21. Portrait of the Self

**A/N** : _I bet you weren't expecting another chapter so soon! That's ok, neither was I. I just got so excited that this came through in just a few days._

* * *

 _Portrait of the Self_

* * *

Link remained curled up in that spot for some time, plagued by anxious thoughts. But a flicker of movement in the corner of his vision was enough to eventually snap him out of it. As he watched, the poe's flame rose just a few feet into the air, and then began to drift away, passing through the door behind the stage. Link carefully climbed to his feet, sniffling, and gathered up his things, following the flame through the door.

He passed through a long hall, following the fire in silence. It passed through another door, leading him back to a familiar room.

He was standing on an overhang, overlooking the big room with the unlit torches. One of those torches was lit now, a red-orange flame flickering gently. As he watched, the green flame he'd followed drifted through the room, stopping atop one of the torches.

On the far side of the room, a door flew open, creaking on its hinges. Mido came rushing through, looked around, and then headed towards the center. Link decided to jump down and join him.

Leaping from his perch, he landed with a roll, hearing Mido cry out in alarm as he swooped from above. The Kokiri let out a relieved sigh a few seconds later upon recognizing him.

"Don't spook me like that!" He called out indignantly. "I thought you were another poe out to kill me in revenge or something!"

Link couldn't help but laugh, giggling a bit at that. Before he could say anything, however, he caught sight of movement out of the corner of his eye. A blue flame had entered the room now, slowly drifting through another door. The door creaked open not even a moment later. Skull Kid emerged and - catching sight of Link and Mido - waved one hand before rushing over, passing the flame in the process.

"Hey guys! You would not _believe_ the day I've been having."

Mido rolled his eyes. "I think we can get a pretty good idea. Let me guess, a poe?"

Skull Kid waved a hand dismissively. "Aw, that's no fun, way to ruin the surprise."

Relieved to see his friend, Link began to look the two over, then suddenly let out a surprised gasp, pointing a hand at Skull Kid. "Skully! Your hand!"

The skull kid looked down on the blackened wood. "Oh, this? It's nothing, don't worry about it!"

"Don't worry about it? How am I supposed to _not_ worry about it?"

"It'll heal with time," Skull Kid replied, waving his good hand dismissively. "Anyways, did either of you happen to come across Saria?"

Mido shook his head. "Only fakes."

Link shook his head too, thinking back to his encounter. He quickly pushed it out of his mind, not wanting to think about the creature that had tried to turn him evil again. How did it even know about his medallion? Had it been listening in since they entered, maybe?

"Well… there's still places to look," Mido said, turning back towards the edge of the room. "There's still a couple doors left to check out, right?"

Skull Kid nodded. "Guess so. So, what are we standing around for?"

Link turned his head to look out towards the outer edge. Then looked back to the torches. One was still unlit, and he couldn't help but wonder the importance of that.

Something moved out of the corner of his eye.

Link whipped his head to the side. He _swore_ he caught a glimpse of purple light. But it was already gone.

"Which door should we go through? I say right seems like the best one to check out first."

"No way!" Skull Kid said. "We should work from the left first."

"Um… Guys?"

"The left? No way, that's close to where the poes were. I say we try somewhere away from there."

"Aw, why? Are you afraid of one little poe?"

"Have _you_ ever seen poes like these?"

"Guys!"

When Link raised his voice, the two finally turned their heads, looking at him in unison.

Link took a deep breath. "I… I don't think we're alone right now."

The two just stared at him.

"What? Did I say something weird?"

No, they weren't staring at him, they were staring at something behind him. Slowly, he turned his head.

From the sound of things, the first three flames had been held by poes, each wielding a different color.

It only made sense that there would be a fourth.

Link yelped and sprang back as the poe approached slowly, menacingly, and methodically, holding a torch with a flame as purple as worn garbs draped over her shadows.

In response, she cackled, a sound that sent chills down the three boys' spines.

"Ehh he he, so it was you then! You three took down my sisters. How quaint."

Mido gulped. Link shivered. Skull Kid stepped forward defiantly.

"So what if we did? What are you going to do about it?"

The poe laughed again. "Oh, how feisty! If you must know, I _was_ planning on killing you, for daring to hurt my sisters. But I feel our boss would be disappointed by that, oh so disappointed. He's always scouting spirits and monsters like you, creatures looking to pick a fight."

She snapped and the flame of her torch seemed to grow just a bit brighter. "Perhaps we can strike a deal. If you agree to join us, I'll let you live. Anyone who agrees to serve master Ganondorf will be spared his wrath."

Skull Kid seemed unphased. Mido gulped again and stepped forward.

"You… You better start explaining!"

"With pleasure," the phantom said, sweeping forward in an arc.

"Allow me to introduce myself. My name is Meg, the eldest of the poe sisters and servant of Ganondorf. We have guarded this temple for centuries. I used to be the high priestess here, serving Farore, the goddess of courage. But she abandoned us, leaving us as listless spirits trapped in this decrepit temple. Until Ganondorf called out and redeemed us, giving us a second chance.

"As the wielder of the Triforce of Power, Ganondorf is by far the most powerful man in the world. He's conquered Hyrule, defeated the Gorons, ensnared the Zora. The desert to the west is under his control, and the forest is nearly ours. He struck a deal with those of us that dwell in the temple, you see. Join him, and you'll be rewarded with power and safety."

She meandered forward. Link flinched as she placed a single, shadowy finger on his chest. "I believe one of you has already become a member of our ranks. Yes, I feel that mark on you, dear boy."

Link's voice came out as a squeak. "I didn't agree to anything!" he snapped, swatting her hand away. "He attacked me."

She drifted back to get a better look at him. "Oh, really now? And yet, the mark remains. I wonder, will you _really_ be able to stand against him in the end?"

Skull Kid stepped in front of Link. "Oh, why don't you just go away. We have no need for your deal, or whatever it was."

The poe sighed. "How... unfortunate. I was hoping that you'd come along quietly. But it looks like you may need some convincing."

She snapped her fingers, vanishing at once. A moment later, she reappeared; but she wasn't alone. Now, four Megs stood in a row at the ready, staring down the trio. "Well, last chance, you can join us, or I will strike you down."

Mido stepped forward, pulling out his sword. "You... your master killed our father – the Deku Tree – then took our home and twisted it into a never-ending nightmare. Put Saria - put everyone in danger. I will never join the likes of you!"

The spirit laughed an ugly laugh, the sound reverberating in the chamber. "Well then... if you won't join, I have no use for you. You can join the spirits in the afterlife!"

At once, all four poes rushed forward. Mido screamed, lashing out at one of them. It disappeared in a puff of smoke.

"What- AUGH!" Mido cried out as the torch struck his arm, sending him sprawling backwards. The other two poes vanished in similar smoke when they made contact, and the real poe vanished a few seconds later.

Mido let out a whimper as Skull Kid pulled him to his feet, looking at a nasty red welt that had formed where the fire had made contact with his skin.

"Only one of them is real!" Ren cried out, popping out of Mido's hat before rising up into the air out of the way of battle. He continued calling down to the trio. "You have to figure out which one is real, and strike that one!"

"Yeah, I got the idea," Mido grumbled. But he moved to stand back to back with Skull Kid, Link joining them to form a triangle as the poe and her duplicates reappeared, surrounding the boys and beginning to spin.

Skull Kid reached for his flute. "Pick one and take a shot!" he called out before raising the flute to his mouth, shooting out a dart. One of the four poes disappeared in a puff of smoke.

Link began to reach for the Master Sword, but a jolt through his body made him decide otherwise, and instead he reached for his new bow, fumbling to get an arrow ready.

Mido had sheathed his sword, reaching instead for the borrowed slingshot. "Ranged attacks seem to be the best idea!" he announced, letting loose a shot. The small seed hit a poe right between the eyes, making it vanish in another puff.

Link stood straight, pulling back an arrow, and released. But he hadn't pulled strongly enough.; the arrow seemed to wobble in the air. Fortunately, it was just enough to make contact with one of the poes, proving it, too, to be a fake.

That left only one, she rushed towards Skull Kid, leading with the fire.

He let loose a dart and hit her in the face.

The poe let out a startled noise and stopped in her tracks.

Mido took the opening opportunity, rushing forward with his sword drawn. He thrust forward jabbing into her cloak. She let out a pained scream before making an attempt to strike back at him.

"Look out!" Link called out.

Mido glanced back for just a fraction of a second before springing out of the way. As soon as he was clear, Link let loose an arrow. This time, he had pulled it back propperly. The arrow whizzed through the air and drove through the poe, striking the spirit right between the eyes.

Meg stopped in her tracks, her eyes flickering. Slowly, she lowered her arms to her sides. Then the torch slipped out of her hand, clattering to the ground.

"I... can't believe it," she said. There was silence for a moment.

And then she screamed. Flames began to flow up her body, burning and sparking and crackling.

And then she stopped screaming, jerking her head to look at the three boys. "Oh, how cruel you've been. Cruel indeed. But it matters little. In the end, Ganondorf will claim what is rightfully his. And you'll regret not joining him then!"

With one final burst of flame and light, she was gone, leaving nothing but the small purple flame in her place.

None of the boys said anything for a moment, silently looking between the place where she had been and between each other.

Mido was the first to break the silence. "So... now what? We still don't know where Saria is."

"Actually," Link said quietly, barely above a whisper, "I think I have an idea."

Skull Kid and Mido moved closer to Link, looking at him expectantly. "Well, Spit it out!"

"The... thing. The poe I fought said something about Saria being in the depths of the temple. Do you think they meant deep inside? Or is there maybe a basement?"

Mido brought a hand up to his chin. "Good question. Has anyone seen a way into a basement, or anything like that?"

Both skull kids shook their heads. "Nope," Skull Kid said.

"Then I guess deep it is. So... which door do we go through first?"

"Hold on," Ren said, coming down from his safe spot far above where the battle had taken place. "I think we should check something first. Look over there."

He pointed back towards where Meg had fallen. There, the flame had risen up, and was now drifting back towards the torch in the center of the room. Cautiously, the boys watched as it came to a stop.

The torch flickered to life.

As soon as it had ignited, there was a slight rumbling, and a grinding noise. They watched as in the center the unusual tile they had noticed before began to rise. Four pillars emerged from underneath. The movement stopped after a small platform reached the top.

"I think we just found our way down," Ren mumbled.

Skull Kid moved first, marching right over to the platform. He held off on standing on it, however, looking back expectantly at the other two.

Mido hesitated for just a few seconds before rushing over. Ren followed just behind him, protesting and reminding him of the dangers that they might face below.

Link was the last to move. First, he fiddled with his bow, trying to put it up but he realized how hard and slow it was with his shield in the way. Only then did it occur to him just how heavy all his equipment had become. After a second of hesitation, he dropped the heavy shield, letting it fall to a ground with a clatter. How often had he used it, anyways?

Then he moved to join the other two. That was one weight off his shoulders at least, but he still had so many more sitting in the back of his head. He pushed them aside for the moment, however. He had a friend to find.

As one, they all stepped onto the platform, squeezing into the small space. Once all their weight was on it, it began to slowly fall, drifting down deeper into the temple. The bit of sunlight filtering through the glass panes couldn't reach down here, leaving them with nothing but the light from Ren and the two skull kids' eyes to guide them.

The elevator brought them to a round, empty chamber. The marble floors made their footsteps echo as they stepped down. Slowly they took a look around. Laying on the side of the wall, Link pointed out the scattered remains of a skeleton. Near it, vines that had grown along the wall had wrapped around parts of the skeleton, and a few pices that had been cut free wilted nearby. They shared a look with each other.

"Stalfos?" Mido asked.

"Probably," Skull Kid replied.

Finally, they caught sight of an exit. Blue carpet heralded them through an open doorway and down a hall.

Several paintings lined the walls, each with an ornate gold frame. But these forest dwellers had no appreciation for the fine arts. At least, not right now, not with their minds on their friend.

At the end of the hall was a set of stone doors. They had been carved with beautiful designs, and though the paint was faded and flecked, they still held their gold color in places. Here, the group paused for a moment.

Ren spoke up. "I... sense something beyond these doors," he admitted. "But I can't tell if it's something good or bad."

"Can't tell?" Skull Kid huffed. "Isn't that supposed to be your whole fairy thing, sensing evil or something?"

"I don't know what I don't know! Ren replied. "For all I know, they could be masking their intentions with magic. It _is_ possible.

Skull Kid huffed but did not argue further. "Well, who cares. We're going to go looking for Saria either way, so come on, time's a wasting!"

Ren sighed, but did not argue any further. Mido offered his hand out to the fairy, who gratefully landed on it.

Then all three boys stepped forward and pushed with their shoulder, grunting with effort as they forced one of the doors open.

The doors opened into a swtariway wrapping around the edge of a round room. Mido, after a second of hesitation, drew his sword and took the lead, slowly and carefully making his way forward.

Link and Skull Kid followed just behind, Link anxiously reaching for the bow while Skull Kid held his flute.

The stairwell curved around the wall for a while. But as they neared the top, only bronze bars and red rope kept someone from hopping from the floor and onto the stairwell. Mido's stomach twisted in a knot as he neared the top. The room was better lit than anywhere else in the temple, torches on the wall illuminating a set of old, worn paintings. As he reached the top of the stairs, he squeezed his eyes shut for just a moment, took a deep breath, and opened his eyes again to take in the room.

And found exactly who he was looking for.

"Saria!" Mido called out. He bounded up the last couple of steps and rushed over to the Kokiri.

She sat on her knees in the center of the room with her back to the stairs. When she heard the group rushing in, she tilted her head up before twisting around to get a better look.

Link and Skull Kid rushed up the last of the steps, but before they could approach Saria, Mido held a hand out to stop them.

"Hey, what gives?" Skull Kid protested.

"Hold on. I need to be sure." Mido raised his voice to address Saria. "I need to know. Before you left for the temple, what was the last thing we talked about?"

Saria tilted her head, then stood, pausing for a moment to dust off her clothes before speaking. "Oh, you made a promise to keep people away from the temple, to keep them safe. Or something close to that. Right, Mido?"

Mido let out a relieved sigh and lowered his weapon. "Oh, thank goodness, it really is you. You would not believe the day I've been having."

"Ahem..."

The Kokiri glanced back to look at Skull Kid, who waved his injured hand indignantly. "The day. _we've_ been having."

While the kids began to chat, Ren fluttered over to Saria's fairy, quietly conversing with her. Saria, meanwhile, carefully looked over the trio of boys, noting Skull Kid's burnt hand, and Mido's bruises and scrapes.

"Oh, goodness, did you have some trouble in the front of the temple? I thought for sure there were no monsters left."

"You could say that," Mido grumbled. But then he let out a sigh and rubbed the back of his head. "Oh, it's fine though, I'm just glad to see you're safe."

Saria smiled sweetly, tilting her head just a bit to the side. "It's good to see you all too. It's been far too long. I'm sorry I left on such short notice, but Link, when we last talked. You seemed so scared. I figured it must be urgent for me to get here."

Link averted his gaze slightly, running his hands along the wooden part of the bow. "Did I? I'm... sorry, I don't really remember."

There was an uncomfortable silence for a moment as the group tried to think of something to say. Skull Kid was the first to speak up, much of the awkwardness lost on him.

"Soooo... Are ya gonna come back now that we found you?"

Another pause, then Saria laughed lightly. "Oh, Skull Kid. I'd love to! But I can't leave just yet. I think there's something I need to do here first."

Mido spoke up next. "Like... what?"

A perplexed frown crept its way onto Saria's face. "Well... I'm not sure, actually. I know I need to do _something_ though. I can feel it. I just... can't figure out what."

Link considered for a moment, thinking back to his encounters with Rauru and Sheik. Then it hit him. "Oh! I think I have an idea!"

All eyes turned to Link. "You do?" Saria, Skull kid, and Mido said in unison.

Link nodded in response and turned to reach into his bag, fishing out the Ocarina of Time.

Saria let out a quiet gasp. "Oh, what a lovely ocarina, Link. Where did you get it?"

Link paused, trying to think back. But all he came up with was fuzz and a pounding headache.

 _A gift._

"I... think it was a gift?"

 _You found it_

"Or... maybe I found it?" He paused to bring a hand up to his head, grumbling.

Saria frowned. "Is everything okay?"

 _You're doing great._

"I'm... Doing fine, thanks."

The Kokiri stared for a long moment, but eventually relented, letting out a sigh. "If you're certain, Link. So, what was the idea that you were talking about?"

"Oh, right."

 _Wait._

Link forced himself to ignore the slight flare of pain in his chest. "Sheik told me to play a song for you."

"Who's Sheik?"

"Some weird adult that followed us in the forest," Skull Kid answered. "I don't trust him."

"Well, he did give us that potion," Mido pointed out. "He can't be all bad."

"That's how they getcha," Skull Kid replied with a grumpy huff. "They give you gifts to try and gain your trust. And then they tell you that you can't play pranks anymore and try to punish you if you do. And they'll turn on you at a moment's notice!"

Saria blinked. "That... might be reaching a little. Are you okay?"

"I'm great! Amazing! All I'm saying is be careful about trusting him. Okay?"

"I... guess that's fair... Though if he's helped you before, he's probably okay. You have to remember that Hylians are different. They grow up. But they were kids once, too."

"Um..." Link started, raising a hand to try and get their attention, but no one noticed.

"Yeah, yeah and they forget all about it."

"Hey," Link tried again, speaking a bit louder.

"But adults also get really busy all the time and will just forget about you and tell you to go play alone."

Giving up on being heard, Link instead brought the ocarina to his mouth, experimentally blowing a couple notes as he tried to recall the song Sheik taught him.

The discussion in the room died away, all eyes turning to Link.

Link ignored the stares, instead letting himself become lost in the music. A slow, steady melody came from the ocarina. In some ways, the song felt playful and lighthearted. But at the same time, there was a sense of majesty to it. Saria took a step closer, a slight expression of surprise and confusion on her face.

It was more than just a song; the notes spun a tale of the forest, of the playful creatures that lived there, but also of the power woven into the very essence of the forest.

Link's music grew louder and louder as he relaxed. For a moment, while he played the minuet of forest, all was right with the world. He felt like he was back home, playing music with Skully. Climbing to the top of the trees to watch the clouds drift by. Following the fairies back to their fountain. Dancing late into the night.

But eventually the song came to an end. As the last note rang in the air, Link looked up to see everyone staring, transfixed by the music. But by far, the person with the most interesting reaction was Saria. While the others looked impressed and perhaps wistful, Saria looked blank. Or if anything, she seemed shocked. Slowly Link raised a hand to wave in front of her.

The Kokiri blinked a couple times, then shook her head to clear it. "Oh, Link!" She seemed troubled for just a moment, then smiled. "That was lovely. I..." She paused, frowning again. "I think I understand why you wanted me to come here, now."

She turned to look at Skull Kid and Mido. "Sorry to make you come here for nothing, but... I think I need to stay."

Mido stepped forward. "You mean... you're not coming back?"

Saria shook her head.

Skull Kid stepped forward now, hands clenched into fists. "Why not? _Why_ can't you come back?"

She let out a sigh. "Sorry, I just can't. Not yet, at least. There's something I have to do here. But... Would you three stay with me for just a bit longer?"

"Of course we will!" Mido said quickly, looking to Link and Skull Kid for support. In response, Link nodded, while Skull Kid said nothing and turned away. He made no move to leave, however.

Saria flashed a grateful smile. "Thanks. Will all of you just... stay right in here?" She turned, taking several steps until she was at the edge of the raised floor. For a moment, she stared up at one of the paintings in front of her and said nothing.

"I think I understand now, why the Deku Tree always shared so much with me. Do you think he knew? That I'd be destined to come here some day?"

Mido tilted his head, brow furrowing. "Destined... to come here?"

Saria clasped her hands together but did not turn around. "When Link played his song, I was reminded of the forest. Of all the wonderful things here. But also of how hurt it is. And... And I heard a voice. A voice that told me I can fix everything. All I had to do was listen."

She paused again before moving to sit down, letting her legs dangle over the edge. "I don't know why... but I trust that voice. And even if it ends up being nothing, I have to see if it's true. Tali, will you help me meditate?"

Saria's fairy turned from where she was conversing with Ren, jingling as she fluttered over to Saria. "Of course, Saria. Remember, take deep breaths." She paused, turning to the others. "And all of you, please stay quiet. It'll make it easier for Saria to focus. Okay?"

Each of the boys nodded in turn. Skull Kid moved to sit down on the floor while Mido stepped back to the top of the stairs so he could lean against the wall. Link found himself uncertain what to do, feeling a bit anxious as he watched Saria take slow, deep breaths. Was this how a sage was awakened? Was he done here? After a moment, he decided to sit down beside Skull Kid.

The other forest spirit gave him a curious look.

"Is this what's supposed to happen?" he asked.

"I'm not sure, Link replied. "This is the first time I've done this."

Skull Kid stared at him for a moment, then looked back over to watch Saria for a while.

"You're leaving after this, aren't you?" he suddenly said, voice quiet and sullen.

Link turned his gaze downwards. "I don't want to, but I have to. I'm sorry."

Again, Skull Kid went quiet for a few minutes. "All my friends always leave. You, Saria, and everyone else."

Turning his head, Link gave Skull Kid a worried glance. "You always talk the other friends you had before we met," Link said. "Do I know them?"

Skull Kid shook his head. He leaned forward slightly, tracing shapes in the floor. "No, they're... They're not from the forest. I doubt you'll ever meet them. The last time I saw them... They... I... They were upset with me. Told me I had to leave. I'd never seen them so angry. After that... I didn't have any friends for a long time."

Link was silent for a long moment, listening to Skull Kid's story intently.

"Skully, I... I want to stay so badly. But I can't. Not right now."

"I know... but..." Skull Kid paused, clenching his hands into fists. "Did you even think about me when you were gone? You quit talking, you never came back. I just thought that... That you abandoned me."

Without thinking about it, Link suddenly leaned over to wrap his arms around Skull Kid's chest, pulling him into a hug.

"Skull Kid, you're my best friend. I'd never abandon you!"

He could feel the older spirit's body tremble ever-so-slightly in his embrace.

"I know you've said it before," Skull Kid began, his breath hitching just a little, "but it's nice to hear it again."

The two sat for a moment, listening to the silence of the room. Then Link remembered something and pulled away. "Oh, right! That reminds me." He pulled his arms away reaching into his bag to dig around. "I got you something a while back. I thought I'd be back sooner, but that didn't happen... but I got you this while I was traveling around. I hope you like it..."

He wrapped his fingers around the cool, carved surface, and pulled out the skull shaped mask he'd stolen so long ago. It looked just as good as when he'd taken it.

"Here," he said, handing it to Skull Kid.

Wooden hands reached out to take the mask. Skull Kid turned it over a few times in his hands, inspecting the handiwork. "Wow, Link, I... This is really neat." Carefully, he brought it up to his face. His beak was just barely covered by the teeth of the mask. Amber eyes peeked out of the skull's eye sockets, and the odd horns managed to curve at just the right angle to not get in the way of the brim of his hat.

He took a moment to bring his hand up to his face, feeling the mask. "I'll have to get a look at my self later, but I think I like it!" He raised his hands up to try and strike a scary pose. "How do I look? Spooky? Scary?"

Link gasped in mock fear, then giggled, a smile spreading on his face. "Terrifying!"

Right now, Link wished things could stay like this moment, the two of them happy and laughing and just being themselves.

But fate couldn't allow that.

"Um, guys?" Mido said, interrupting their jovial mood. Link looked back to Mido and saw him pointing at something. He followed the direction Mido's hand was pointing, turning and tilting his head up slightly. In front of one of the paintings directly in front of Saria, some sort of rift had appeared, glowing a pale blue. It shimmered and wobbled in the air for a moment.

Then a hand emerged.

Link and Skull Kid both uneasily rose to their feet as an arm followed, then a torso. Then a leg. In seconds, an armored figure had emerged. One hand was empty. The other carried a wickedly long lance. He wore a mask as well, surprisingly similar to Skull Kid's new mask. But the horns on this mask were much longer, and it also happened to have an orange gem stuck in the forehead.

A feeling of dread crept into Link's stomach, yet his chest fluttered with excitement. His head pounded, anxiety setting in as he looked the figure over and realized he recognized him.

Ganondorf was here.

The figure floated in the air for several minutes, surveying the scene. It took note of Mido, who had stepped away from the wall now and drawn his weapon cautiously. It took note of Skull Kid, the creature wearing a mask like his and staring uneasily. It glanced back to the still-meditating Saria and her fairy, who had flown protectively in front of the young girl. And then finally its eyes settled on Link.

"I should have expected to find you here," Ganondorf said. "Perhaps this will make things easier."

Uneasily, Link reached for his bow as Ganondorf sized him up.

"Master Ganondorf has been looking for you, boy. Your disappearance was quite… disappointing."

For just a second, Link hesitated, lowering his now-drawn bow slightly. "Wait... I thought-"

The creature laughed. "You thought I was Ganondorf? How quaint. You flatter me so. But no, I'm not Ganondorf. Consider me a... phantom projection of his power. Now then."

He twirled the weapon in the air before lowering it threateningly towards Link. "Are you going to come back easy, or will I have to use force?"

 _Come back..._

Link winced as he felt something in his chest constrict. But he stood his ground, raising the bow once again. "No way I'm coming back!"

The phantom Ganondorf stared for a moment. "A shame. But I suppose it was inevitable. Very well." He rolled his shoulders for a second, then rushed forward towards Link.

Link yelped and released the arrow. But he didn't get a chance to see if it connected. He was knocked off his feet by a powerful blow and heard something rip.

As he looked up, he felt his chest constrict again. And then it burned. And the burning spread. He was burning. He felt like he was burning.

 _Come back to me._

He let out a pained gasp.

He could hear someone calling his name, but they sounded distant, his ears ringing. Hands scraped against the cold marble floors. Were they his hands? Had he dropped to the floor? His vision blurred, all while a voice continued to whisper in his ear.

 _Give in, and I will give you power_

 _Why did you leave?_

 _Did that cruel, cruel man take away all your power?_

 _You are mine._

 _The world has been cruel to you, hasn't it? If you behave, I'll give you a way to get revenge._

Link tilted his head up, trying to focus on the floating phantom above him. It made no motion to attack for a moment, watching him curiously while hovering just out of reach of Mido's sword.

And in one hand Link's bag hung loosely, the strap broken. His bag. His stuff.

The medallion.

"No!" Link tried to call out. But it came out choked.

 _You don't need that anymore,_ the voice whispered.

 _But it's mine,_ Link thought hazily. _I do need it._

 _You can have it back later,_ the voice promised. _All you have to do is... behave._

 _Behave_

 _Behave_

 _Relax_

 _Give in_

 _Behave_

Link watched as the phantom carelessly tossed aside his bag towards the stairway, contents scattering and clattering down the steps.

Then he stood, slow and unsteady, and pulled out his bow.

* * *

 _The next chapter, Blight, should drop by December 6th, but may not drop in November as I'll be investing my time in writing for NaNoWriMo._


	22. Blight

_**A/N:**_ _I'm sitting here the night before I plan to upload this, nervously wondering how people are going to react to this chapter, as I am taking some story telling risks with it. I would greatly appreciate feedback, because I want to know whether or not I pulled this off well. My explanation will be at the end of the chapter._

 _As a quick note, I want to give a shoutout to ShinyKing on AO3, who has written an interesting alternate take on the events following Link's… corruption, we'll say. If you get a chance, be sure to check that out!_

* * *

 _Blight_

* * *

"I don't know if I like us sneaking around like this."

"I know," Sheik whispered to his companion, bringing a finger up to his face to signal for silence. "But you must understand. There's no guarantee that magic seal will hold. I have to be here in case something happens. But I don't want Link to feel like we don't trust him."

" _Do_ you trust him though?"

Sheik took a long breath. "I do. I know he has good in him. He has a good heart. And because of the position I'm in, I can't be the one to wake the sages, only he can. But..."

Sheik came to a stop, pausing in front of the rising elevator. "But he's only a child. A child who can be easily influenced. That's how Ganondorf got him the first time, I think. And now that he's back in the waking world, Ganondorf will stop at nothing to get him back. Remember, Link holds something Ganondorf covets, even if neither of them realizes it yet.

"The Triforce of Courage?"

Nodding, the Sheikah continued as he stepped onto the elevator. "Correct. If Link were to find out before expelling the darkness inside him, he and all the sages would be in grave danger."

"But isn't he in grave danger now? You heard that poe he was fighting earlier. They've already figured out what's holding the seal."

For just a second, Sheik hesitated. "It's a risk we have to take. Otherwise, Hyrule is doomed."

His companion was silent for a moment. "He never asked for this, you know. He agreed to gather the sacred stones without question, perhaps because he respected the Deku Tree. Or perhaps because he was young, and the prospect of adventure excited him. But this? This never should have happened."

"I know. And I'm sorry." Sheik began to walk again, his footsteps muffled by the blue carpet.

His companion followed silently, either unwilling to talk anymore or too upset to. But eventually she spoke again. "I just… It doesn't feel right. It feels deceptive, taking a bunch of his memories and then just telling him to go save the world."

Sheik nodded. "I understand where you're coming from, honestly. But would you rather him remember what he did, and mentally shut down? Surely, that would be worse. Besides, Rauru was hesitant enough to send him out in this condition. But the time it would have taken to do a total purification would have taken _years_ more. Ganondorf had already started to make a move against the new sages. We couldn't afford to wait any longer."

The fairy had nothing to say to that.

He sighed, pausing to look at one of the paintings lining the wall, and tried changing the subject. "It's a shame we don't have a way to take these paintings back right now, or a place to take them to, for that matter. So much history was lost here when the forest became twisted all those centuries ago."

His companion continued her silent treatment, moving ahead to wait by the door. Not wanting to wait any longer, Sheik followed and pressed his ear up against the door. Hearing music behind the door, he let out a sigh of relief. Link must have found the sage.

"Who designed these doors?" he grumbled as he pushed on the stone, it slid with a bit of effort, though for now he only opened it a crack. He could hear voices conversing quietly in the open room.

"See," his companion whispered, "you had nothing to worry about."

Perhaps she was right. Sheik couldn't deny that the mood in the room seemed positive. He even heard the sound of Link's laughter; a good sign for sure!

But alas, their luck couldn't last forever, could it?

* * *

"Link!"

Skull Kid let out a cry of alarm as Link went down, barreled into by the phantom. He had almost no time to react, only managing to spring out of the way as it flew close before rising back into the air. At once, he heard Mido race up beside him, drawing his sword. But the phantom was just out of reach, holding Link's bag by a torn strap as if to taunt them. Skull Kid clenched a fist and began to reach for his flute and darts, but a gasp from Link pulled his attention away.

He was laying on his side, eyes flickering dimly. One hand clutched at the fabric of his tunic around his chest while the other scraped against the floor. He thrashed once before rolling onto his stomach, then climbed to his knees, trembling.

The spirit watched as Link tilted his head to look towards the phantom hovering above them. He followed Link's gaze for just a moment, watching as the phantom tossed aside the bag.

Link tried to call out something, but it came out so garbled that Skull Kid couldn't be sure what he said.

Then he slowly climbed to his feet.

Unease gnawed at Skull Kid's belly as Link fell silent, leaning over to pick up his bow. No longer were his movements pained. But instead smooth. Almost too smooth.

The younger skull kid reached back for an arrow and carefully nocked it, raising it up to aim.

And then he suddenly whipped around, faced Saria, and released.

There was no time for Skull Kid to react, no time for him to stop the deadly weapon as it shot through the air. Mido screamed beside him, rushing forward towards Link.

Saria was going to be struck; there was no time to save her. No time to stop the arrow.

Saria's fairy yelled something, dashing in front of the arrow. There was a "thunk" sound, a high-pitched squeal, and then she dropped to the ground, silent, pierced through by the arrow she'd desperately stopped.

Link hadn't waited to see if his first mark hit, already prepping a second arrow. But Mido had gotten close enough by now to tackle him, knocking the skull kid off his feet. Link made no noise, but twisted and thrashed in his grip, kneeing him in the chest to knock him away. The Kokiri let out a yelp, sliding back just a few feet.

Saria startled alert at the sounds of a struggle, scrambling back from the edge. But she stopped when she felt her hand brush up against something. She turned her head, before letting out a despairing cry and scooping up Tali's limp form.

"Saria, run!" Skull Kid called out, rushing forward towards Link, who had climbed back to his feet. He ran into him shoulder-first, knocking Link off balance without losing his own.

Looking up, Saria let out a gasp before climbing to her feet, pulling Tali's body close. Then she looked up to see the phantom hanging above them, watching the events unfold silently.

The phantom turned to look at her and then, noting that Link was preoccupied at the moment, raised his spear into the air. A crackle of energy sparked above the tip, a glowing yellow orb forming. She looked back to the fighting boys, realizing Link was between her and the exit. Her attention jerked back to the phantom, watching in horror as the orb grew bigger and bigger. Then he swung his spear, flinging the orb towards her.

She tried to jump out of the way, to dodge the dangerous energy hurtling towards her. The orb hit the ground just to her side and exploded, bolts of energy spreading out, some striking her. She let out a pained cry and fell to the ground, gasping, her limbs spasming.

Skull Kid, hearing Saria cry out, turned back from his fight with Link. The distraction was just enough to let Link get a punch in. He felt a fist connect with his lower jaw, sending him sprawling backwards.

Only Mido was still on his feet, facing Link with his sword drawn.

"What's gotten into you?" He cried out, dashing forward.

Link did not respond, disappearing with ease in a flurry of leaves. Mido slowed to a stop and whipped his head around in search of the skull kid, shocked. Before he had a chance to find Link, he felt a heavy blow to his back. He stumbled, and before he could regain his footing, he felt his feet swept from under him.

Hitting the ground hard, Mido groaned before trying to twist back to look at Link. The skull kid stood over him with a playful, toothy grin. But he did not attack him again. Not right now. No, he instead began to walk towards where Saria had gone down.

"No!" Mido called out, trying to climb back to his feet. He turned his head slightly, catching sight of Skull Kid hastily loading a dart. He shot it, sending it whizzing through the air. But it never reached Link.

The ground seemed to rumble for a moment as the skull kid paused, turning. He raised a hand, and thick, thorny vines broke through the marble floor, separating them from Link and Saria. Mido barely managed to get to his feet. And began to stumble towards the vines.

But before he could reach them, there was a loud "crack!"

Smoke began to pour into the room, obscuring the ground in front of them. He felt someone push him to the side and cried out as he fell over the platform's edge, landing hard at the bottom of the stairs. Silently, he thanked Farore for his resilience.

A second later, he heard someone drop to the ground beside him. He groaned, trying to get back to his feet, then let out an alarmed cry when he saw a pillar of flame burst into the air above.

"Don't just stand there, move!"

Mido raised his head to see a fairy fluttering just in front of him. She fluttered down, grabbing hold of his hand and tried to drag him forward.

"Come on, we have to get to the elevator!"

"But - But Saria-" Mido tried to protest, but the fairy cut him off.

"Sheik's gonna get her. But we have to regroup!"

Mido hesitated just a few seconds longer, then turned and began to stumble forward. Satisfied, the fairy turned back to get Skull Kid, who followed a few seconds later.

"Hey, aren't you-"

"Not right now!" the fairy said before Skull Kid could finish that question.

They stumbled back through the empty hall, back into the marble-floored room with the blue carpet, and stopped just outside the elevator.

Neither of them would leave without Saria.

Fortunately, they did not have to wait long. Not even a minute passed before Sheik raced through the door towards them, carrying a limp Saria in his arms.

"Get on the elevator!" he shouted. "We don't have much time!"

Mido did as he was told, grabbing hold of and leaning against one of the pillars.

Skull Kid hesitated a few seconds longer, staring at Sheik with distrust, but climbed aboard anyways.

The elevator started to move. Sheik leapt the last few feet, just barely managing to land in time. He steadied himself and then turned back to the cracked-open door, where smoke was still pouring out.

A figure burst forth from the smoke, racing forward with a bow in one hand.

"Can't this thing go any faster?" Mido called out in alarm.

Sheik looked back to the two boys, then to Link, who had stopped right inside the round room and began to draw his bow.

At once, he spun around. "Hold her for a second," he instructed before unceremoniously dumping Saria into Skull Kid's arms. The forest spirit sagged, falling to the ground from the sudden weight. But at least he cushioned her fall.

As soon as Sheik's arms were free, he spun around reached for a knife strapped to his thigh. He wasted no time hurling it at Link, catching the Skull Kid in the arm. It was just enough to throw off his aim, the arrow whizzing by harmlessly.

The last thing he saw before the elevator moved out of sight was Link wrenching the knife free, a wide, disturbing smile on his face as he watched them disappear.

An uneasy silence filled the air as they rode the last bit in silence, Sheik moving to take Saria back.

"Is she…" Mido started, trailing off before he could finish the thought.

Sheik shook his head. "She's still alive. But badly injured. If we keep her safe, she'll recover."

"Hey, what about Link?" Skull Kid said, stepping towards Sheik. "What happened, are you just going to leave him behind like that?"

"Yeah!" Another voice said. From behind Sheik, the fairy from before appeared, fluttering closer to Skull Kid. "We can't just leave him back there!"

Sheik turned his head away for a moment. "We won't have to. He's going to come to us." He turned his head back to face the three. "Listen, we don't have much time. Link and the phantom Ganondorf are going to be chasing after us to get to Saria."

"Why though?" Mido asked with an exasperated look.

The elevator came to a stop. Sheik hopped off first, moving away from the center quickly. Skull Kid, Mido, and the fairy followed after him after a few hesitant seconds.

"I didn't see exactly what happened in there, but _why_ it happened…" Sheik let out a long breath, shifting on his feet. "Seven years ago, Link tried to stand up to Ganondorf, and suffered dearly for it. I wasn't there to see it, but Navi saw it firsthand."

"Navi?" Mido asked. He turned his head to the fairy.

Skull Kid spoke first. "I knew it! I knew I recognized that voice."

The fairy flew a bit closer. "That's right. I've been waiting seven years for Rauru to let him out of the Sacred Realm, but he doesn't know I'm here yet."

"He doesn't remember any of it, in fact," Sheik added. "When Rauru tried to seal the curse, he also tried to seal Link's memories in hopes of keeping him from being overwhelmed by what he did."

"By… what he did?" Skull Kid asked.

Sheik hesitated, averting his gaze down to Saria.

"They deserve to know," Navi insisted. When Sheik did not answer, she let out a huff and spoke instead.

"The previous sages had long ago left the mortal world, becoming spirits in the Sacred Realm. Under Ganondorf's orders, Link entered the Sacred Realm and, well, struck down five of the six sages. And now that Ganondorf has Link back under his sway, he wants to send them after their replacements."

Navi fluttered down to rest on top of Saria. "He's trying to kill the new sages before they awaken, dooming Hyrule."

All eyes turned to Saria's unconscious form. "But… Link would never hurt Saria," Skull Kid protested.

"I believe you," Sheik replied, "but Link isn't exactly in control anymore. I don't know exactly how his curse works, but…" He shook his head, his voice turning sharp as he jerked his head back to the descending elevator. "Listen, we don't have time to dwell on things. Both Link and that phantom will be here any minute now. We need to prepare for the fight."

He stopped near the edge of the room, near the front exit. "One of you will need to stay back and defend Saria. Both of our enemies have ranged attacks, and Link can get in close at any moment with his teleportation magic."

"How though?" Skull Kid asked. "Earlier today he couldn't use magic at all."

"It was linked to the seal. Any control over magic was a way for Ganondof's curse to strike. Any use of it would slowly give him more control over Link. Now that he's back under Ganondorf's influence, there's nothing stopping him. And Ganondorf is… overloading his magic as well. Making him use as much as he can, even if it hurts him. That's how he was able to summon the vines back in the other room."

"But that could kill him!" Skull Kid protested.

"Do you think Ganondorf cares?" Navi replied.

Skull Kid had no answer to that, clenching his hands into fists.

While they talked, Mido ran back towards the center of the room, returning less than a minute later dragging the shield Link had dropped. "This should help us defend against those ranged attacks," he announced. "I'll stay back and defend Saria. I dropped my weapon back there, but I can hold a shield just fine."

"But what are we going to do about Link though?" Skull Kid asked.

"Incapacitate him," Sheik replied. "Knock him out or hold him down. If you can do that, then I can do something to keep him from attacking, at least until we can retrieve the medallion." He paused, reached down for another knife, and handed it to Skull Kid.

"Here, you can use this to fight. It might be more effective than those darts of yours."

Skull Kid gave him a hard look. "Why should I trust you though?"

Sheik sucked in a long breath of air. "I get it, I really do. But you can see what happened to Link. Who do you believe more: me, or the phantom trying to kill you all? I promise I only have good intentions."

For a moment, Skull Kid stared, face stony. But finally, he begrudgingly took the knife before turning away. "Fine. But you better be telling the truth. Or I'll put a scorpion down your shirt."

Sheik said nothing, turning his attention to the center of the room. "They're coming," he announced, reaching for two more knives. He tossed one back to Mido before taking one for himself.

Sure enough, the top of the elevator had just crested the floor, raising up agonizingly slowly. Skull Kid stepped forward, his stance nervous, while Sheik stepped forward with more confidence. The elevator came to a stop.

There was a moment of hesitance as the two parties stared each other down. It was hard to see in the dim light, but Skull Kid could make out a gob of discolored sap oozing out of the wound on Link's arm.

Link lifted his bow. The phantom shifted backwards out of the elevator before raising into the air, the beginnings of an orb of energy sparking at the end of his weapon.

Skull Kid Leapt forward, disappearing in a swirl of leaves. Sheik zigzagged as she dashed towards the two enemies, making it harder for Link to take aim. Distracted by the Sheikah's movements, Link didn't notice when Skully reappeared behind him. He reached up from behind, hooking his arms underneath Link's, and tugged, trying to pull him back.

"Snap out of it!" He cried out. "Please Link, I don't want to fight you!"

Link did not answer. Instead, he jerked forward, dragging Skull Kid with him, and spun, slamming him into one of the elevator's pillars.

Skull Kid let out a pained cry but refused to let go.

Then he felt something wrap around his waist and constrict. Glancing down, he realized that one of the vines lining the wall had grown all the way out to him and was now trying to pull him away. As it squeezed harder and harder, he was forced to let go to hack himself free with the borrowed knife.

That was all the opening Link needed. Immediately, he spun around and delivered a swift punch to the gut, hard enough that Skull Kid heard his bark crack. He doubled over in pain, forced to warp a few feet back to avoid another strike. For just a second, he glanced up to see what Sheik was doing, then had to spring out of the way of another attack.

Sheik, meanwhile, focused his efforts on fighting the phantom. He threw one of his last two knives, managing to strike the phantom in the leg and draw its attention.

"Down here!" He shouted.

He heard the phantom grumble something unintelligible. Then it drew back its weapon and swung, hurling the orb of energy his way.

Sheik stood still, watching the magic fly closer and closer. Then, at the last second, he lashed out, striking it with his knife. The strength behind his blow was enough to send the projectile flying back towards Phantom Ganon.

The phantom, shocked, was just a second too late to respond. Electrical energy coursed through his form as he spasmed, drooping just a little lower in the air. Sheik took the opportunity to strike, rushing forward and lashing out at the spectral form.

Mido ducked behind the shield as Link broke free from Skull Kid's attacks just long enough to launch an arrow, the projectile clattering harmlessly against metal. Link had already begun to grab ready another, but a pitiful slash at his chest from skull kid stopped him, taking his attention away.

The Kokiri let out a nervous sigh, stealing a glance back at Saria before returning his attention back to the fight unfolding in front of him. He cried out in alarm, watching as the phantom swung out, catching Sheik with the blunt part of his spear. The man let out a pained grunt, knocked back several feet.

Were they losing?

A groan from behind him made Mido turn his head for a moment. He began to watch as Saria shook with effort, trying to sit up, but had to turn his attention back to the fight to block a magical projectile. Sparks flew off around the shield, and the force of the blow sent him skidding back a few feet.

"Mido?"

He looked back again and caught sight of Saria on her knees. There was a distant look in her eye as she looked at Mido, and then past him to the ongoing fight.

"Saria," Mido asked, "can you move?"

She looked over to him and nodded slowly. "I… think so."

Mido offered a hand back without taking his eyes off of the fight. "Then come on, we gotta get you out of here. They're after you, right?"

Saria carefully climbed to her feet, looking back to the battle. Link had lured Skull Kid near the edge of the room, forcing him to fend off vines as they grew and tried to wrap around and lash out at him. Sheik struggled to keep the attention of the phantom, but that, at least was not a losing battle.

Looking back to Mido, Saria shook her head.

"I can't leave."

Mido's face fell slightly. He turned back to give her a serious look. "Come on, you have to!"

"Mido…" Saria opened her mouth to say more but cut off when she heard a pained cry. Turning back, she caught sight of Skully being lifted into the air by vines as they wrapped tighter and tighter around his waist.

She turned back to Mido with a serious, determined expression, and uttered a single sentence.

"Do you trust me?"

Caught off guard, Mido stuttered, "O-of… Of course, I do!"

And then she smiled a serene grin.

"It's going to be okay, Mido."

She took a step forward, unsteady but determined. Mido tried to step in front of her defensively, but she held out a hand to stop him; he hesitantly stepped aside.

First, she focused her attention on the vines ensnaring Skull Kid, threatening to swallow him up. In her mind, she reached out to the magic of the forest, calling upon it, begging it to listen to her instead.

The magic responded, listening to her whispers, and the vines began to loosen.

But then something, some twisted and tainted burst of forest magic challenged her, trying to pull the sway back into its control. The vines began to grow stronger.

She glanced up towards Link, and saw that he had stopped fighting, his face twisted in fury as he tried to get the vines to obey him.

But his skill was clunky and unrefined. He – nor whatever held sway over him – hadn't spent years refining their connection to forest magic. With a loud cry, she raised her other hand, calling one of the unused vines forth. It flew from the wall, lashing out at the attacking skull kid, giving her just enough time to seize control.

Slowly, the vines began to weaken their grip. She squeezed her eyes shut for a moment, focusing harder, then raised a hand and at once, the vines went limp, giving Skull Kid a chance to warp free.

Link turned his attention towards Saria, realizing quickly who was interfering. He turned away from Skully, raising his bow again to quickly release an arrow.

Saria responded to the attack by raising a row of thick, tangled roots in front of her, drawing from the tree outside. Wood burst through the floor, sending a small shower of broken tiling scattering everywhere.

Nearby, Sheik let out a battle cry, dashing in the direction of Saria to catch a magical attack sent her way. With a single strike, he knocked the blow back towards the phantom. It responded by volleying it back. But Sheik still held his ground.

One of the roots snaked up behind him, knocking the magical energy back with surprising speed.

The blow was enough to send the phantom flying backwards, skidding against the ground several feet back. Sheik wasted no time rushing the monster, unwilling to let this chance go to waste.

The phantom's eyes went wide as it locked gazes with Sheik.

"This is for my people."

Raising a hand above his head, Sheik buried his knife deep within the phantom's throat. It let out a garbled cry, then went limp. Under his grip, Sheik felt the body began to heat up, and by the time he leapt away, it had burst into flames, the magical energy dissipating and being called back to its master.

He let out a relieved sigh. One less enemy to worry about. That only left Link.

Only… where was Link?

He looked back to where he had last seen Link fighting, and only saw Skull Kid sprawled out on the floor, attempting to get back to his feet.

A pained scream whipped his attention back to Mido and Saria.

The root wall still stood in front of Saria, but it was quickly receding. As it dropped further, the reason for its disappearance became clear.

Saria had fallen forward, a red stain quickly spreading on the back of her clothes. Mido stood nearby, frozen and horror with his shield raised, halfway between the steps he'd been taking towards her attacker.

And behind her stood Link, stand with a bloody knife in one hand as vines began to weakly weave their way around his arms. He strained against them weakly, but the vague expression on his face suggested shock.

"Saria!"

Sheik glanced back, noting that Skull Kid was trying to run towards his fallen friend, limping along and stumbling forward. At first, Sheik began to step towards him, to help him along. But then he turned away; no, he had to see to Saria first. If she were to die...

But there was something that had to take precedence even over that. The initial shock had worn off on Link, and now he had begun to fight back again, jerking erratically as he tried to pull free from the vines. But they held firm. If nothing else, it gave Sheik a little bit of hope. For the moment, Saria was still alive.

But he had a threat he still needed to neutralize.

As he stepped towards Link, he brought his hands together, taking a deep breath. There were many things he'd learned in his seven years of training, both physical and spiritual. But it seemed like he always ended up back at magic.

Closing his eyes for just a moment, he focused on drawing up the magic of light inside him. From there, he channeled the energy into his hands, opened his eyes and stepped directly in front of Link. For just a moment, the corrupted forest spirit paused in his struggles, staring up at Sheik with a look of curiosity.

Sheik placed one hand on Link's head and another on Link's chest. Then he uttered a short series of words.

" _Spirit. Rest. Spirit. To Sacred Realm_."

He envisioned himself sending out a pulse of energy through his hands. At once, Link's struggles ceased, his eyes going dim, then flickering out entirely. He went limp, held up only by the vines.

Sheik let out a relieved sigh. Hopefully, Rauru would be able to handle things from there. He had other things he had to deal with.

Namely, Saria.

Turning back to the fallen sage, he noted that Mido had fallen to his knees at her side, and that Skull Kid had reached her, but was standing back nervously a few feet away. Navi and Ren, too, had approached, one fairy fluttering on either side of Mido, whispering nervously to each other about their lack of healing magic.

It pained him, listening to Mido muttering things to the girl, begging for her to be alright.

But he could already see from here that Saria would not be alright.

The girl was still breathing, albeit shallowly. Her fingers trembled as she tried to reach up for Mido's hand. The boy reached down to take it, her fingertips lightly brushing up against his own.

Sheik approached slowly, kneeling down to get a better look at her wound, to see if there was anything he could do. He gingerly pulled at her clothing, opening the rip to get a better look.

If it had been a slash attack, a single slice across the back, she probably would have been okay. But no, Link - the monster controlling Link - had gone for a stab, burying the knife deep into her back.

He could hear Saria whisper as he tried to work, to stop the bleeding, though he knew the chances that it would save her were slim.

"M... Mido," the girl mumbled.

Mido responded by squeezing her hand. "Y-yes?"

She smiled slightly, a faint expression in the dying light. "I... know that... that this going to be... hard... but... It's going to be okay... When... When I woke as a sage I... Understood. I'm going to have to... go away. But I'll still be with you in spirit. Take care of everyone in the forest for me, will you? Be the leader you always wanted to be."

"S-Saria no I-I-" Mido tried to say something more, but she had already turned her attention to Skull Kid.

"Skully... Will you stand by Link for me? I... Think he needs a friend, now more than ever."

The forest spirit stared unblinking for a few seconds before her question registered. "Why can't you stay with us?" Skull Kid protested. "You weren't supposed to go away again!"

To that, she smiled again, but only repeated the question. "Will you stand by Link?"

Skull Kid looked away. But he did respond in a choked-up voice, "of... o-of course I will."

"Good..." She began to take her hand away from Mido but paused. "Rauru said that as long as my spirit returns to the Sacred Realm before I die, it can persist there. Sheik, was it? Would you... could you help me with that? I... don't think I can... focus on it right now."

Sheik jolted out of his thoughts, caught off-guard by his name. He looked down to the girl, realization hitting him. "Of course, I will. Please, stay still."

Just as he had with Link before, Sheik brought his hands together, drawing up the light magic from within. Then he placed his hands-on Saria, one on the head and one on the back. Then he mumbled the words, "spirit. To Sacred Realm." And with a pulse of magic, Saria's spirit separated from her body, and she went limp.

For a moment or two longer, Saria continued to breathe laboriously as her body tried to keep on living. But it grew weaker and weaker, until finally, her body stilled.

"Saria? Saria!" Mido shook her body. Gently at first, but then roughly in hopes of rousing her. But she didn't move, didn't respond. He let out a loud, anguished cry, then slumped forward.

Sheik was silent as he listened to the boy sob. Skull Kid had sat down in front of Saria's body, but he seemed hesitant to approach, a distant expression on his face. He turned his attention away from the forest dwellers and instead looked down to his own hands, stained in Saria's blood from his futile rescue attempts.

Ruefully, he wondered how much more blood was on the hands of his people. Even worse, he wondered how much of that blood was on _his_ hands. How many people had he failed when Ganondorf took power? How many bodies burned to ash? How many left behind. How many restless souls?

A loud "thunk" from behind him roused Sheik out of his thoughts. As he looked back, he noticed Link's body had fallen to the ground, the vines supporting it already wilting away now that Saria wasn't there to channel magic into them.

It finally occurred to Sheik that he had important matters to handle. More important than dwelling on unknown things. He turned his attention to Skull Kid and cleared his throat.

It took the forest spirit - who had turned his attention to Link's limp form - a moment to realize that Sheik was trying to catch his attention. When he did finally notice, he gave Sheik an angry, distrustful look, but it soon melted away to sadness, or perhaps concern. "Is... Is Link going to be okay?"

Sheik hesitated. Would he be? Rauru had already expelled so much energy to seal the darkness inside Link the first time. And it had taken several years for him to reach _this_ point, at that.

But he still gave Skull kid a reassuring nod. "He... should be. But... I need you to do a favor for me. For Link." When Skull Kid said nothing, he explained, jerking his head towards the center of the room. "I need you to go back and find Link's things. The medallion in particular is important."

Skull Kid's stare turned distrustful again. "Why can't _you_ do it?"

"I have something else I have to do here," Sheik explained. "I... may have to vouch for Link's character. I need to start now. I _promise_ I or Navi will explain to you later. Okay?"

Skull Kid continued to stare for another moment, a silence stretching out that made Sheik wonder if he was going to say no. But finally, he turned and gave a single affirming nod. "You better keep that promise."

Letting out a breath he didn't realize he had been holding, Sheik nodded in turn. "Of course, I will. Good Luck, Skull Kid."

Navi rose up from consoling Mido, staring straight at Skull Kid. "Don't worry, I'll be right here to make sure nothing happens to Link, okay?"

"Sure, did a good job of that so far," Skull Kid muttered. Then he turned and left.

Navi turned her attention back to Mido, returning to rest comfortably on his shoulder and whisper to him. Sheik nodded his thanks before taking a seat on the floor; comforting and consoling people in these situations was not his strong suit.

He crossed his legs and closed his eyes, trying to ignore the sounds of Mido's sniffles. The child was going to hurt for some time, yes. But there was little more he could do without making the situation worse.

So instead he turned to introspection and meditation. After the Sacred Realm was opened, he had quickly learned about his affinity with its sacred grounds. And with time, he'd learned how to project his spirit there. It had become a useful tool, over time. There, he'd been able to meet with Rauru. There, he learned about what had happened to Link. There, they had hatched a plan to awaken the rest of the sages. And there, they concluded that they needed Link to do so. If nothing else, they needed him to overcome his curse, before the Triforce of Courage manifested within him.

He couldn't blame Rauru for his misgivings, for being hesitant to release the hero in this state, even if he understood Sheik's reasoning. In the end, he only agreed to do so if Link's memory was wiped. But after the curse broke free, those memories must have returned. That thought alone was enough to put a pit of unease in Sheik's stomach.

And as he broke the mental barrier into the Sacred Realm, he only hoped that he'd be able to convince Rauru a second time.

* * *

 _ **A/N**_ **:** _So, that just happened. I want to give a quick explanation. The idea of Saria making a heroic sacrifice was something that I bounced around in my head even before the idea of having Link get cursed, albeit under different circumstances. I went back and forth on it again and again, and decided that it added a flavor I wanted to the story and character arc for Link that I wanted to explore. Hopefully, it didn't feel too off or contrived. That's why I'd like to hear feedback. Was this something interesting that pulled at heartstrings? Or was it something that fell flat? Did you not like it at all? Let me know!_

 _If all goes as planned, the next chapter should be up sometime between the 20_ _th_ _and the 23_ _rd_ _. Until next time._


	23. The Quest Truly Begins

_The Quest Truly Begins_

* * *

Falling. Burning. Haze. Pain. Link was vaguely aware of his movement, but everything passed by in a blur. It felt almost like he was outside his body, watching. And yet, the actions were his own. The more he tried to concentrate, however, the more his head hurt. He watched his hands raise the bow.

Who was he fighting again? That phantom was so near, he felt like he should be afraid. But instead, all he felt was a warm sense of security.

...

A fairy lay limp on the ground, pierced through by an arrow. Had... had he done that? He was vaguely aware that he was sore, and for just a second, he remembered that Mido had knocked him to the ground. Why had he knocked him to the ground?

 _He's just jealous of how close you are to Saria,_ a voice whispered to him as it picked at his memories. _He sees you as a lesser being. Doesn't that make you angry?_

His hurt and anger channeled into the struggle against Mido.

...

He stumbled down the stairs, knocking fallen items out of the way. Useless items. He needed nothing but a bow and his fists. The golden glint of a medallion tried to steer him towards it, but the voice guided him away.

 _We don't need that anymore,_ it said. _It was only hindering your power._

Link was tired. His body felt drained. Had he used magic recently? Had he overdrawn his magic, perhaps?

The voice told him he was fine. _He_ told him he was fine. So, he was fine. He continued out into the hall.

...

A pain shot up his arm. He slowly turned his head to look at the knife that had hit him in the arm. After a second, he wrenched it free. staring at the purple, tainted sap - no, not tainted. It wasn't _tainted_ , it held traces of the master's magic.

He glanced up and felt a twinge of rage as his targets escaped to the upper levels.

…

They were fighting. The other skull kid refused to let him by, interrupting his shots and doing everything in his power to stop him. Why was he fighting this one? He held no ill will towards the boy.

 _But he is helping the sages,_ the voice whispered to him. And he knew that the voice was right. And he knew that the voice did not lie. And he knew that the voice cared for him, and only wanted him to be happy.

The voice helped him call for magic far beyond what he should have been capable of, vines ensnaring and entangling the other spirit at his command.

Until they quit listening to him, at least.

The fairy girl. She'd called for the vines. He tried to shoot, but she formed a thorny wall on this side.

So, he struck from behind instead.

…

Vines twisted around his arms. Vines wrapped around his legs, snaking up as the girl tried to hold him, even as her power waned.

 _Pull yourself together,_ the voice demanded. _Free yourself from this prison. Rejoice! You have triumphed here._

Link did not feel triumphant though. In fact, he felt… hurt. Shocked. Afraid. Disturbed. He had hurt his friend. He had hurt his _friends_. Why? What was he doing?

 _They weren't your friends,_ the voice reminded him. And he almost listened.

But before he could argue further, the man in blue stepped in front of him. He stared with a hint of curiosity, then struggled as hands full of light reached out to touch him, sending painful waves of energy down to his very soul. The voice screamed at him in anger.

And then… he was alone in the darkness.

* * *

Soft voices spoke in hushed tones nearby, their voices drowned out by the sound of rushing water. Link's head felt fuzzy, his thoughts clouded by a haze. In some ways, he wondered if he was dreaming. Slowly, as his vision and hearing flickered back, he managed to work out that he was back in a familiar place: The Sacred Realm.

How had he gotten here, again?

As he tried to think about it, his mind was met with more of that haze. Everything seemed off. At first, he thought it was perhaps because of how exhausted he felt. But then he realized it wasn't just his thoughts that were off; even his vision seemed to be tinted an odd, blue color, refracted at the corners.

Slowly and cautiously, he reached a hand out - when had he stood up? But before he could extend it all the way, he was met with resistance. Something blue, and nearly opaque, blocked him.

Alarmed, he reached a hand back behind him, and realized he was blocked there, too. Then to the sides. He whipped around. He was trapped. Trapped in a small, cold, crystalline prison. Why was he trapped? What was happening? The more he tried to think about it, the more that mental barrier pushed back, making his head hurt even more. Why couldn't he remember? Why? _Why_? What was he forgetting?

He let out a pained, frustrated scream and turned again, slamming a fist against the barrier.

And saw a form stumble back away from the crystal. A form that he was almost certain was Saria, based on their build.

And then he remembered where he'd been.

And then he remembered what he'd _done._

The memories of the fight in the Forest Temple came flooding back all at once. The arrow. The fallen fairy, struck down defending her Kokiri with her life, never standing a chance against his weapon. Skull Kid, being strangled by his vines. At least he survived, though. And Saria.

Saria.

He stabbed Saria.

He… did he _kill_ Saria?

Shaking now, he looked down to his hands. Darkness poked at the corners of his vision, threatening to engulf it. Visions of blood danced on his hands. Fingers scrapped against his prison. He wasn't just remembering Saria now; other things were rushing back all at once. The sword, trying to drive him away, threatening to break apart his body.

But he acted without care for what happened to him.

The man in the dark armor, following him into the Sacred Realm. Watching with glee as he… _as he…_

He stumbled back and fell, letting out an alarmed cry.

"Rauru, please let him out," he heard Saria say, her voice barely audible through the walls.

Rauru's response was harder to make out. "...sorry… can't do that… danger to you… if your spirit dies now…"

Link wasn't focusing on their voices anymore; he was too alarmed by the blood on his hands. The blood on his tunic, the blood filling up his prison, threatening to swallow him up. There had once been six sages. But now there was one. There had once been six sages, but now five of them were dead. Five of them were dead, because _he_ killed the others. The voice. Ganondorf's voice, told him he'd be a hero, striking them down. He'd save so many people. They were the true evil, driving the world apart. Ganondorf intended to bring everything together.

The voice had sounded so calm and caring then, promising him heroism and love if he just did these things for him.

Instead it turned him into a monster.

No, everyone already knew he was a monster, it just tapped into his nature, didn't it?

Monsters hurt people. And if he hurt people, that proved he was a monster.

Now, the voice was silent, leaving him to dwell on his thoughts without an answer.

A shadow of movement flickered in front of him. Someone was approaching the crystalline prison again. His breath hitched as he shrank back, pulling his legs closer to his body. Watching, he saw a hand press up against the wall, then pull back hesitantly, fingertips lingering just a second longer.

"He looks scared," he heard Saria say.

"It could be a trap," Rauru replied.

"Did he ever act like this during his possession?" Saria pressed.

"Well… No. Not that I saw at least, but…"

"Then let him out! You said you had the flow of magic under control, didn't you?"

"It's not that simple. Just… Saria, will you come back for a moment?"

The shadow in front of him hesitated before retreating, leaving him alone with his thoughts once again as Saria and Rauru began to speak to each other in hushed voices.

He remembered striking down Saria. But she was here. Was she alive? Or was this all some cruel trick? Why had Rauru ever let him out? Why would anyone trust him now, after all he'd done?

The light of his eyes flickered out as he tried to will the world away, drowning in his turmoiled thoughts.

"Rauru, what is going on in here?"

Hesitantly, Link looked up and to the side, noticing a hand on the prison once again, a larger figure standing beside it.

He heard a grumble from Rauru. "I know this isn't ideal, Sheik, but I felt caution is warranted. Saria has lost her physical form. If he were to strike her down again -"

Sheik cut him off. "I get it. But _look_ at him. He's frightened. He probably doesn't know why you're doing this to him, if you were able to cut off his memories again. Or if he does, he probably needs comfort! And here you are treating him like a… Like a… like a monster!"

Sheik seemed… almost different from when Link could last remember talking to him. For a moment, it was almost enough to pull him from his troubled thoughts. Almost.

Each time he'd met with Sheik, he'd had this mysterious air about him, like he was keeping everything at an arm's length. Like perhaps he didn't trust Link. And knowing what he knew now, he couldn't blame him.

But here he was, his voice filled with an anger Link hadn't expected to hear as he addressed Rauru.

"Sheik, please, I understand where you're coming from. But you have to remember, you haven't seen what he's capable of!"

The hand pulled away from the crystal. "Haven't seen what he's capable of? Rauru, I just watched Ganondorf turn him on his friends. _I_ had to hold Saria as she was dying and send her spirit back here, because she couldn't do it herself. And I've seen what the monsters in Ganondorf's army can do; I've had to watch my people suffer for seven years while watching a distance. Don't tell me I don't know what he's capable of."

"Then you have to understand where I'm coming from, right?"

" _Of course,_ I do, but that still doesn't change the fact that you can't put your faith in him to save us all, and then turn around and treat him like a monster for doing things under someone else's control."

A long, uncomfortable silence filled the air, no one willing to budge at first. But finally, Rauru let out a long sigh. "Very well, Sheik. I don't like it, but you're in… well, I'll defer to your judgement. But first. Saria, have you finished channeling that spell I asked you to do?"

"Just… give me a second…" He saw one of the shadows move. A moment passed before he saw a bright flash of light from outside. Then the light faded away to nothing. More talking, this time in low voices that he couldn't hear. Then, as he strained to make out the sound, he realized that the crystal prison was beginning to grow more translucent, allowing him to see the forms of Rauru, Sheik, and Saria. Suddenly, the wall supporting him from behind was gone, leaving him to fall down and back a few feet into the shallow water with a yelp.

Slowly, he sat back up. Now that he could clearly see the outside world, Link felt much smaller. Three faces stared at him, their expressions differing wildly. While Saria's brow was knit with concern, Rauru's face was conflicted, perhaps even distrustful. Sheik, on the other hand, was unreadable.

Saria began to take a step forward, but froze when Link flinched, her frown growing stronger. Rauru held out a hand in front of her. "Hold steady," he warned. He didn't finish the warning, but Link believed he could pick up on the unspoken words. Don't approach him. He's dangerous. He's a _monster_. He hurt people. He hurt _her_. Only monsters hurt people. Only a monster would hurt her.

Carefully, he began to scoot back, wilting under Rauru's scrutinizing gaze. He wanted to apologize, to say he was so, so sorry. But when he opened his mouth, he couldn't bring himself to say it. So, he closed it again, trying to form a sentence. But only two words came out of his mouth.

"You… knew…?"

Slowly, almost mechanically, he reached back for the sword on his back, gritting his teeth as it delivered a painful judgement. The Master Sword… Rauru had called it a destroyer of evil before. He should have known. The swords rejection should have been his first hint that something was wrong. That _he_ was wrong. Bad. Evil.

It was disheartening, watching everyone tense as he reached for the weapon, ready to fight him if they had to. But instead of turning the blade on them, like they probably expected, he flung it way, sending it clattering on the ground at Rauru's feet.

He rose back to his feet, ignoring the look Saria gave him, and turned away.

But where was he supposed to go. They were all standing on a single pillar that dropped away into the abyss below, with no other land in sight. There was nowhere to escape to. All he could do is face the sages he'd caused so much trouble for.

It wasn't the trouble causing that hurt, of course. Pranks were just in his blood. But pranks were just light fun. People didn't get killed by pranks.

"Link?"

Sheik's voice was surprisingly gentle. A few seconds passed before Link felt a hand resting on his shoulder. He shrugged it away and took a few steps forward, but he could still feel the trio's gazes drilling holes in the back of his head.

Why him? Why did he have to do all this? None of this would have happened if he had never left the forest. Why had he listened to the Deku Tree? Sure, the Deku tree cared about him, and all the spirits of the forest, but in the end, the world wasn't his problem! He should have delivered the stone and gone on with his life. But now?

Now he'd ruined everything.

He didn't realize he was shaking until he felt Sheik's hand again.

"I… I'm not sure if I was able to suppress his memories this time," Rauru said softly. "Ganondorf's magic, well… It dug deeper than I realized."

Sheik pulled his hand away. "In the fight, Link, you were… well, _he_ was using so much magic. Burning through the power with no care for how much power your body could handle. I… I thought for sure he was going to burn your magic away into nothing but…"

Link felt a hand on his shoulder again. Sheik walked around the side, so that he was standing in front of Link, and then stooped down so that he was on Link's eye-level. The skull kid, however, tilted his head down so that he didn't have to look Sheik in the eye.

"Link," Sheik started in a soft, yet firm voice, "I know you're probably scared and confused right now. But I need to know what you remember. It would really help me out. Help us all out. Even you. Do you remember anything about the Forest Temple? What about before that?"

At first, Link did not answer. He wasn't sure he wanted to answer. But finally, he spoke, his voice barely a whisper. "I remember… I tried… tried to fight him. But he was too strong, he hit me with something and… the voice was so kind, so understanding. He knew how much it hurt, when everyone thinks you're a monster. He told me he could help me make things better if I… if I just listened. And so I… I…"

He trailed off, finally looking up with flickering eyes, stealing a look at Saria before asking, "I… I am a monster, aren't I?"

Sheik placed his other hand on Link's other shoulder. "Oh… Link… I don't think you're a monster. You're a kid that got used in a terrible, _terrible_ way. None of this is your fault. You, me, Rauru and Saria, all of us are victims of a conflict far beyond our mortal understanding. You shouldn't have to bear this burden alone."

Link dropped his gaze again. "I just… I want to go home... I don't want to be a monster. I don't want to hurt people!" He pulled away suddenly, stumbling a few steps back. "I-If I go back, I'm just gonna - I - I… I hurt… I'm gonna hurt… my friends…"

Sheik rushed forward to catch Link as the boy collapsed, his breath hitching. He felt the man tilt his head up, but he couldn't see the look he was giving Rauru.

"I know this is hard, Link. If anyone else could do this. If anyone else could wake the sages, if anyone else could bear this burden, I'd let you leave in a heartbeat. I'd even take your place, if I could. But I can't. I have a role to play, and you have yours. Rauru has his role and Saria hers. The whole world is depending on you now. I _know_ things are hard. But you can and will be a hero, Link, so long as you stay brave."

"But… I _am_ a monster…" Link insisted. "Everyone thinks so… you're just being nice. Even Navi thought so. I'm… I'm just… I _hurt_ people."

Sheik let out a long breath. "Okay, let me try approaching this a different way. Fine. You're a monster. Are you happy?" When Link said nothing, he continued. "You're not, are you? Because you don't _want_ to be a monster. You don't _want_ to hurt people. You don't have to be a monster, Link. You can choose to make things right."

Link still refused to speak. Sheik let out a frustrated breath, running a hand through his bangs. "Look, I hate to put it this way, Link, but… if you want to live, you don't really have a choice."

That, at least, got Link to look up from his sulking. It was hard for Sheik to read his emotions; a skull kid could not project the same range of emotion as humans could. But he could only guess that Link must have felt so hurt and conflicted at the moment.

So, he continued with his explanation. "That curse that's inside you, Rauru told you about it, right? It doesn't care for your wellbeing and will burn your magic away to nothing if it thinks that will help further Ganondorf's goals. The only way we know to dispel it is to have the sages do so. But it's a powerful magic, Link, more powerful than Rauru or Saria - or both of them combined - can handle. We need more of the sages. If nothing else, you'll have to awaken them before you can go home. After this, I promise I'll do whatever I can to make things right, okay?"

Link stared at sheik for a moment, his eyes wavering. If… If Sheik was telling the truth, if there really was no other way.

He let out a sigh and nodded slowly before lowering his head again.

Satisfied, Sheik stood, turning his attention to the two sages. "Saria, I believe you have something for Link?"

Saria forced a smile, not wanting to appear upset, and nodded quickly. "Right." She stepped forward, cupping something in her hands before handing it out to Link. "After Rauru explained the situation, he told me to make you this. He said it should help… repress the curse, until we come up with a more permanent solution."

Link turned to look at Saria, then drifted his attention to her outstretched hands. In them, she held a medallion, this one a brilliant green. A pinwheel design adorned the front, reminiscent of windy forest magic.

"This is for you, take it."

Hesitantly, Link reached a hand out, placing it on the cold metal object. For a moment, he felt himself transported back to the forest, transported back to better days, his memories influenced by the magical item.

And then the horrors of more recent memories came flooding back, and he took a couple quick steps back. "Saria, I-"

Her face fell for a moment, but she quickly regained her composure and took a couple steps forward. "You don't have to say anything. It's okay, Link. I know this isn't what you or I ever wanted but… I suppose divine destiny had plans for us." Her expression faltered again as she reached out to grab Link's hand, pushing the medallion into his palm with a small, gentle force.

"We may not live in the same world anymore but… I can at least help you from here. Ganondorf can't get to you from here, but when you leave… Well, Rauru said if you take this, it will strengthen the seal until… well, until we have enough strength to do something more permanent."

Link stared at the medallion for a moment longer before sighing and placing it into his pocket. "...Will it still be there when I wake up?"

"If Saria created it correctly, yes," Rauru answered.

Sheik moved away, hesitating before picking up the Master Sword. He began to hand it to Link, but instead sheathed it for him. "I'm glad everything worked well here, but I really must take leave. I'll be heading up Death Mountain ahead of you, Link. The second Temple is up there, and besides that… I'm worried about the Gorons, they stopped sending reports to Kakariko about a month ago, and that doesn't bode well."

As Link turned to look at Sheik, the man's form began to fade and become transparent, his spirit returning to the physical world.

"I suppose we should send you off too," Rauru said, moving his arms behind his back. "Link… I will admit that I'm… concerned… about our current arrangement. But I have nothing better to offer. Just… be more careful, _please_. Hyrule's future depends on you keeping in control of yourself."

Link looked down, wringing his hands together nervously. There was an unspoken meaning to Rauru's words. At least, he thought there was. And it stung, knowing what Rauru thought of him. But could he blame him? He _was_ right…

"I… I understand," he mumbled, not looking up.

This seemed to be enough to satisfy Rauru, at least. He held a hand up. "You need to head to Death Mountain next. I expect to see you again after you've awoken the next sage."

Link said nothing in response. Soon, his vision was filled by a blinding white light, and the Sacred Realm faded away.

* * *

Link startled awake with a gasp, sitting up ramrod straight. A few seconds of disorientation followed, but soon he realized he'd come to in the big chamber in the Forest Temple, Skull Kid watching him anxiously from a bit of a distance. The forest spirit stared at him for a moment, scrutinizing him, before relaxing and approaching.

"...Link, are you back to normal?"

Link opened his mouth to reply but paused and hesitated before looking himself over. The unnatural wound beneath his tunic was still there, but the pain he'd felt before had subsided for the most part, leaving only a dull throb. His arm ached, with purple tinged sap oozing out to close up a wound. And there were a few spots here and there where bark had been scraped away in a fight. Otherwise, though, he felt fine and in control of himself, something that made him let out a sigh of relief.

"I… I think so," he replied, turning his head to get a better look at the room. It was much worse for wear than when he last remembered being here. Holes scattered the floor and bits of debris laid about, creating an absolute chaotic mess.

He didn't care about the mess, though. But what _did_ matter was the unmoving form he caught a glimpse of as he turned his gaze. Lying about a dozen feet away or so was Saria's body. And sitting next to her was Mido, the Kokiri sniffling as his fairy tried to comfort him.

Slowly, Link climbed to his feet, ignoring the aches and sluggishness of his physically, mentally, and magically exhausted body as he stumbled in the direction of the two.

But before he could get too close, Mido's head whipped up, a tearful, angry glare on his face. The Kokiri reached for his sword, holding it in Link's general direction. "Stay back!" he cried out. "Don't come any closer!"

Link stopped and shrank back, holding his hands up defensively before letting them drop to his side. He took a single step back, letting out a quiet whine.

Mido's gaze dropped back to Saria. "The Deku Tree… the Deku Tree could have made her better. The Deku Tree always healed up us Kokiri when we got hurt this bad. But he can't. Because… because he died. And you were there when he died. Why do bad things always happen around you?"

"I-" Link croaked before shutting his mouth again, unwilling to defend himself.

"Hey, hold on!"

In a flash of green and orange, Skull Kid was standing beside Link. " _I_ was there too! And that was _not_ our fault!"

For just a second, Mido hesitated. But then his gaze hardened again. "Just like all the bad things that happened because of your pranks over the years weren't your fault?"

"That's-"

"No, don't even try to say it," Mido growled. "I. Don't. Care." He glared for a few seconds longer, but soon his expression turned distraught again.

"Just… both of you. Go away. I have… I have to figure out what to do here. What I'm going to have to tell everyone about Saria. By the goddesses, grant me the wisdom and courage to deal with this..."

Skull Kid opened his mouth to say something more, but before he could, Link turned and darted away, racing back up the steps and down the hallway with Skully shouting behind him, returning to the forecourt. There, he paused, looking up at the patches of night-sky that peeked through tree branches.

Alone, Link's thoughts once again drifted to the newly resurfaced memories, plagued by visions of blood and death. The voice had told him it was okay to kill, even though they hadn't attacked first. The voice had told him he was doing good, saving people by killing the sages, saving people by ravaging Castle Town. If Rauru hadn't stopped him, hadn't caught him, he'd probably still be at Ganondorf's side, killing whoever his whims desired.

And what scared him was that even now, he could still feel that cold feeling crawling up his spine, hear the voice as the quietest whisper, telling him to come back.

"Link, wait!"

Link whipped around, catching sight of Skull Kid running down the steps towards him with his bag in hand. Wasn't his medallion in there?

Hesitantly, he reached into his pocket and found Saria's medallion something tucked away inside. He pulled it out to inspect it. Although the color was not visible in the dark of night, he could still feel the pinwheel-shaped design on one side.

As he looked back to Skull Kid, he noted that his friend was hesitant to approach at first, hanging back anxiously. Just looking at his uncertain expression made Link hurt. But when he made no other move, Skull Kid relaxed and closed the distance between them.

"Here," he said, holding out the bag. "Sheik said to make sure you kept this with you, if you were going to keep the medallion in it."

Wordlessly, Link took the bag, his fingers wrapping around the torn strap. He nodded to Skull Kid as thanks, and then turned away and began to walk.

"Hey, where are you going?" Skull Kid asked, bounding up to walk beside his friend. Link stopped, letting Skull Kid go ahead, but he just stopped too and turned back to face Link.

"I'm going… away," Link finally replied, when it became obvious that Skull Kid wasn't going to let him go without an answer. "I have… things I need to fix."

Skull Kid's demeanor changed a bit, but he forced a grin regardless. "Hey, well, I can at least go with you to the edge of the forest, right?"

Link hesitated. "I'd really rather be alone."

"Is this about Saria?" Skull Kid asked.

"...Maybe…"

"Well, I'd trust an adult about as far as I could throw one, but Sheik seemed at least certain that Saria was okay, and he helped rescue you so… I guess that means there's nothing to worry about, right?"

Link stared at Skull Kid for a moment, unable to give him an answer. Then he began to walk again, though this time he didn't try to shake Skull Kid. It didn't mean he was going to speak either though, and most of their trip through the forest went by in silence.

"Did Sheik, leave, by the way?" Link eventually asked, realizing now how desperate he was for any sort of distraction from his thoughts.

"Oh, he and- he, um, he left just a minute or two before you woke up," Skull Kid replied. "Said he had things to take care of."

"Oh, I see," Link mumbled in response.

After that, things settled back into the awkward silence, the two focusing on not tripping over roots and shrubs in the darkness. Far in the distance, a wolfos let out a howl, and closer by, the bushes rustled as a racoon rushed by in the darkness. Normally, he welcomed the feeling of forest magic in the air – it made him feel safe. It felt like, if he were to take the time to learn, he'd be able to shape it in the air, calling upon it to create plant life. But at the moment, it just felt oppressive, like it was squeezing him on all sides. Was this an effect of the seal?

Soon, they reached the short, stable path to the Kokiri Forest. At the border of the wild Lost Woods and the once-tame Kokiri Forest, Link faltered again. This was Saria's home. What right did he have to enter it after what he did to her?

"Hey, something seems weird here, don't you think?" Skull Kid said, shaking him out of his thoughts.

As Link peered in the darkness, he realized Skull Kid had a point. A few fairies flitted about in the field, where earlier today nothing but deku baba plants and Mad Scrubs had dotted the landscape

A couple of the fairies stopped to look at Link and Skull Kid as they went about their business, but none of them seemed all that concerned. One of the braver ones dared to approach them though.

"You two are… from the Lost Woods, right?"

Both of the boys nodded in turn. Skull Kid, however, was the one willing to speak up.

"Yeah, We are. Um… What's going on here?"

"Oh, I suppose you might not have heard yet. Of course you haven't; it's been hours at most. There's wonderous news in the Kokiri Forest! For the sapling of a new Deku Tree has finally sprouted! Whatever magic had been holding him back must have been expelled. What a joyous occasion!"

Link and Skull Kid paused to share a look with each other, and Link couldn't help but wonder if this was somehow the result of defeating the phantom in the temple.

"That's great!" Skull Kid called out. "That means the forest should get a bit more stable, right?"

"Well… eventually," the fairy agreed. "It will take some time before his strength has fully returned, but already he's driven away the Mad Scrubs that had been terrorizing the Kokiri. In the meantime, he's going to need an attendant. Have either of you, by chance, seen Saria? She was one of the previous Deku Tree's primary confidants, and if she were to come back, that would speed things along considerably.

Link's expression quickly darkened. He looked away from the expectant fairy. "Sorry, I, um… I haven't… I didn't… sorry." And before she could ask any more questions, he dashed past her, heading for the edge of the forest where he'd entered from earlier in the day.

As he reached the forest's edge, he slowed to a stop again. For the second time, he was leaving the forest. But this time, he wasn't full of hope and excitement at the prospect of adventure. Instead, he felt empty. Defeated. Scared. Disgusted with himself. And a plethora of other negative emotions. Last time, he knew he had Saria and Skull Kid to come back to. Would anyone want him to come back now?

"Stop running off like that!"

Link turned back, tilting his head up to look at Skully as he bounded towards him, appearing as two glowing orange orbs bouncing in the moonlight.

"You're just going to leave without saying goodbye?"

"No, I…" Well, he _had_ been planning to, whether he meant it or not. He opened his mouth to say something more, but Skull Kid reached a finger up to shush him.

"Well, don't say it. Because this isn't goodbye."

Link tilted his head slightly, prompting Skull Kid to explain.

"It's not goodbye, because I've decided to go with you! Isn't that great?"

For a moment, Link stared in confusion, then he dropped his gaze, downcast."

"You can't, you'll just be putting yourself in danger."

"And you're not?" Skull Kid countered. "Come on, my mind is already made up!"

Link sighed and slumped. "But what if… what if I hurt you?"

"Oh, don't worry, you already did that." Skull Kid adjusted a glove a bit to gesture to a sap-covered puncture just above the wrist. And now that Link looked at him, he realized that there were several little cracks in his bark, a result of being squeezed by the vines.

"Aren't you… aren't you mad?" Link asked, shrinking back just a little.

"Nah," Skull Kid replied, pulling the glove up before giving link a dismissive wave. "You weren't acting like yourself. Besides, it doesn't hurt that bad. Now come on, are we going or not?"

Link looked to Skull Kid, then to the forest exit. He had a feeling Skull Kid was playing down his injuries. And he really, _really_ feared for his friend's safety. But on the other hand, he was kind of afraid to be alone now. Finally, he sighed. "Okay, if you're really certain…"

Before he could say anything else, he felt a hand grab his wrist and let out a help. Already Skull Kid was racing for the tree line.

"Come in then, let's go before someone comes looking then!"

Link, trying not to feel defeated already, let Skull Kid lead him away, the two disappearing into the night, headed towards Hyrule field.

* * *

 _ **A/N:** A quick thanks to everyone that provided feedback on the last chapter. I've been excited for everything post-Forest Temple since I started writing. HOAH will return sometime in late January or early February for the Fire Temple arc. I don't know about you guys, but I'm looking forward to it!_


	24. The Calm

_The Calm_

* * *

Darunia stood at the entrance to Goron City, staring down at the layers of pathways spiraling down towards the center pit. Normally, at this time of day, his people would be out and about, doing their daily routines.

But now, the cavernous city stood empty and quiet, carefully carved stone marred by craters – signs of the disastrous fight. A certain tension filled the air as he stared down, quietly contemplating his situation. His once-proud people… now splintered and forced into hiding. A few hid in the deepest parts of the city, sheltering in fear of the heart of the Heart of the Mountain. But many, far too many awaited their doom within the temple.

And what was he doing?

Standing here indecisively, debating whether to try and free those who had been captured, or remain here and protect the remainder of his people.

" _You can surrender, Darunia. Your life, for your people's. Surely, that's a fair exchange?"_

Darunia swatted at the air, trying to drive away the memory of disaster, of defeat.

He refused to just give in, but he also couldn't stand idle while his people died.

Staring at the long-ago painted walls, his mind dwelling on what his proud warrior ancestors would have done, Darunia made a decision.

* * *

The two skull kids traveled late into the night, leaving the moon-bathed forest behind as wind buffeted the rolling fields beyond. But eventually, they had to stop and rest, unable to travel further without taking a moment to recover from the hectic day. They stopped at an old, crumbling wall not too long into the journey, — the moon still hung high in the sky by the time they stopped — and took a moment to relax and watch the clouds drift by in the sky, countless stars peeking out in between the puffy wisps.

Well, relaxing was relative. Skull Kid, at least, seemed at relative ease, anxious out in the open, but otherwise content. But Link was having a harder time, his mind drifting back to everything that had gone wrong, now that things had settled down and he had time to dwell on it.

The Master Sword weighed heavily on his back.

Skull Kid folded a few seeds into his hand at some point, insisting that he eat to recover his strength, to help restore his magical essence.

Only after much nagging did Link comply, downing them all at once.

At some point, Link drifted off into an uneasy sleep, though it did not last for long. Skull Kid, too, fell asleep at some point, his head lolling to the side to rest on Link's shoulder, eyes dim. Despite the soreness from being first struck with a dart, and then a knife in that arm recently, Link didn't try to adjust or push him away, trying to find some peace in his friend's company. While they rested, he took a moment to tie the broken ends of his bag's strap together. It wasn't ideal, but it would do until they could replace it.

He let Skully sleep there until dawn's light began to peek over the horizon, then gently shook Skully awake before standing up, offering his friend a hand.

They were off, traveling through the field in near silence. Every once in a while, Skull Kid would run ahead, his anxieties about leaving the forest replaced with wonder and childish glee at seeing a whole different world.

Link couldn't help but wonder if he'd been like that before, when he'd first struck out. If only he could ask Navi.

Eventually, they came across the stream that Link remembered crossing to get to Kakariko, and Death Mountain in turn. They paused at the water's edge for a few minutes, refreshing themselves with a drink before following the water downstream.

For some time, Link traveled with his gaze on the ground, thinking about everything that had happened at the Forest Temple. Thinking about what he had done there, and what it meant. Thinking about what had happened before, about the memories that were still hard to process and recall. Thinking-

"You okay?"

Two words. Those two words from Skully snapped him out of his thoughts. He turned to look to his friend, but the other skull kid had paused, and was standing a few feet away. His hands were behind his head and he had tilted back slightly, as if trying to appear carefree, but his beak was twisted into a frown, giving away jut how worried he was.

Link opened his mouth to say something, but closed it quickly. He considered for a moment. "I'm… I'll be fine," he replied with a shake of his head. "I'm not okay but… I'll be okay." He paused and forced a toothy grin. "Don't worry so much, it's not like you."

Before Skully could say anything else or counter his statement, he turned and began to walk again at a brisk, forcing him to follow behind and catch up.

It was quiet.

Once again, they made a great effort to avoid the monsters that dotted the landscape, though Link couldn't help but wonder if they would welcome him with open arms if he were to approach.

He didn't test it out, though.

Soon, a dilapidated stone bridge came into view, signaling to Link that they were getting close. The bridge had not looked this bad before, but he still recognized it. By now, the sun was high in the sky, the clouds having been blown away. After a quick, but careful crossing, avoiding gaps where the foundation had crumbled away, the duo headed up the path.

Link thought back to the last time he had been to Kakariko. It had been night when he arrived then, and although he hadn't really been close to any of the villagers, he had found a friend in the form of Dampe. Or a friendly face, at least.

How much could it have changed in seven years?

* * *

Things had changed more than he expected, it turned out.

There was a noticeably different air about the town as they entered. Link couldn't shake the feeling that they were being watched as they made their way through the village gate. Though, for the most part, the tiny little village looked the same, there was a different smell about the air. To his right, Link caught sight of a handful of burly men packing burlap bags of equipment, stopping to look at the two skull kids with cautious gazes, peeking glances at them as they walked closer and closer to the main part of town, whispering amongst themselves.

Two men stood at the base of a tree, exchanging jokes and laughing, despite their frail forms and baggy eyes. Until they spotted the skull kids, at least. Their laughter died down and one of them began to approach. The other grabbed his shoulder and shook his head, whispering something, and the first man turned to run off further into town. Skull Kid shot them a cautious, but unamused stare, and veered Link off to the left to give the tree a wide berth, his fingers digging into Link's shoulder — though Link was pretty sure Skull Kid did not realize how hard he was holding on. His friend pressed just a little bit closer, occasionally shooting glances over his shoulder or in the direction all the adults head headed.

There were more people out on the dirt paths than Link remembered, he realized as he made his way along the street. Some were just standing and chatting amongst themselves, while others sat out on blankets or mats, calling out to people as they passed by. But they all had at least one thing in common: that same weary disposition. And a wary look in their eye, as they saw the two skull kids walking through the village. Link hadn't been close to any of the villagers, but he was quite certain he'd never seen any of these people previously.

"There they are!"

Link paused, turning his head as he heard a voice call out to his side. The man that had run off was back now, hanging back as Link stared. In front of him stood an older, lightly armored woman, who stared back at Link with an unreadable gaze. Despite having only met her once before, Link could recognize her from his trip to the castle. It may have been seven years, but Impa looked just as spry as she had before.

She looked over Link for a moment, as if judging how much danger he posed, then looked at Skully with the same gaze. Skull Kid had stopped to stare back at her now, shooting back a distrustful glare.

The corner of Impa's lips twisted upwards. She muttered something to the man, waving him off with a more serious expression before turning back to approach the duo.

"It's been a while, Link," she began, crouching so that she was on eye level with him once she was close. "Seven years is a long time to go missing, don't you think?"

Link opened his mouth to say something in response, but she stopped him by bringing a finger up to his lips.

"Yes or no, are you here to see what's going on at Death Mountain?" she asked in a quiet, urgent voice.

After just a second of hesitation, Link nodded. Impa's mouth turned to smile again.

"Kakariko has gone through a lot of change in the past seven years. I think it best if I escort you through town." She stood back up. "Come along now, quickly."

She began to walk at a brisk pace, forcing Link and Skull Kid run to catch up. Once they had, she let them overtake her, guiding them along the path past more begging people. Voices died in their throat as the trio passed, eying the skull kids with concern.

Link had seen enough by now to know that they didn't trust him. It should have hurt, he thought, seeing so many people judging him at once. But in reality, he just felt tired.

After perhaps ten minutes, they reached the edge of town, leaving behind the judgmental humans. Only then did Impa begin to talk, speaking in a quiet voice. "You'll have to excuse the villagers. Many of them are refugees from Castle Town and would be hesitant of. Well. Let's just say that things are not well here in Kakariko. Things are starting to stabilize, but many people died of injury and disease over the last couple years."

She shook her head and took a deep breath. "But enough of our concerns. It's good to see you alive and well. When... Hyrule fell, Zelda worried that you had perished. And although things weren't ideal, she was glad to hear that you had not."

"Is Zelda okay?" Link asked. "Where is she?"

Impa hesitated. Link stared at her for a moment.

 _She knows._

His chest throbbed. He sucked in a sharp breath. His fingers twitched. _The voice_. The curse was still there, listening, reminding him of its presence even if it couldn't seize control. And there were some things it seemed more than happy to share, in hopes of disheartening him and weakening his resolve.

 _She knows what you are. She knows what you've done. She doesn't trust you._

His tense change in demeanor did not go unnoticed by Impa. Or Skull Kid for that matter, who put a hand on Link's shoulder, tensing.

"She's... safe," Impa finally answered. "I can't tell you where right now, so I hope you'll just trust me."

For just a second, Link wanted to lash out, to demand more answers, to question why he should trust her if she didn't trust him. But then he reminded himself that she had good reason not to trust him, and he relented, sagging.

"Okay," was the answer he gave.

Impa opened her mouth as if to say something more, but Skull Kid interrupted her. "Hey, why's it smell so funny here."

Impa stared at him for a moment before beginning to walk again. "Well, it's partially… Kakariko is still a bit... overcrowded at the moment. Most of the survivors from Castle Town, after Ganondorf's forces attacked, fled here. Some chose to move on, but those that didn't have tried to settle down here. But there's really not enough room to go around. Not enough resources when so much is under Ganondorf's control. And now with the supplies from the Gorons cut off..."

She trailed off, losing herself in her thoughts for a moment. But she refocused just as quickly. "Sorry. So, you're headed up to Death Mountain to find the sage, and hopefully find out what happened to the Gorons at the same time, correct?"

Link responded with a slow nod, earning another smile.

"Sheik already headed up there. I'm sure he'll have more information to give you when you get there."

"You... know him?" Skull Kid asked, finally breaking his silence.

"Of course," Impa replied with a nod. "We come from the same tribe of people."

They came to a stop at the base of the path up the mountain. "This is where I leave you," she announced, stepping to the side. "I have obligations I have to take care of down here, and you have a quest to take care of up there. I suggest you headfirst to Goron City before you look for the temple. Your friend will have to be outfitted with something more protective against the heat and flames than what he's wearing, and you should get that tunic of yours patched up as well, in case the damage affects how well its magic works."

Once again, Link nodded slowly, this time mumbling his thanks. Then he turned and began to make his way up the path, Skull Kid following just behind after one last cautious look at Impa.

With everything going on, Link thought they couldn't arrive at the Goron City soon enough.

* * *

As the duo made their way up the jagged mountain trail, some of Link's stress began to melt away at the prospect of visiting the friendly Gorons once again. Heavy clouds began to roll in while they traveled, and by the time they reached the entrance to Dodongo's Cavern, a light sprinkle of rain had started up.

Link picked up the pace, stomping through the dirt, hoping to reach the cavernous city before the path turned muddy.

He hadn't thought it odd when they passed not a single Goron on their way to the city, figuring it a result of the rain. After all, he'd only seen a couple the first time he came through here, hadn't he?

"So, what are these Gorons like?" Skull Kid asked him as they walked by a stick marking the path up towards the fairy fountain.

"Oh, hm..." Link took a moment to pause, thinking back. "They, well... they like music. And dancing. They're really nice. And strong... but really, um... prideful too. They don't like accepting help."

"So, they're like that here, t-" Skull Kid cut off. "Oh, don't worry. I was just thinking out loud, is all. That's pretty neat."

They fell silent again. Link glanced at Skull Kid every few seconds, questions forming in his head. Skully always seemed like he knew more than he let on, but like he was afraid to explain why. Why was that? Saria's knowledge came from the Deku Tree. But Skull Kid didn't have that luxury. So, what was his deal?

And then a thought occurred to him. A thought that he had before, couldn't hold in any longer.

"Skully..."

"Hm?"

He took a deep breath. "Have you... been outside the forest before?"

Link wasn't sure what he expected, but he hadn't expected Skully to stop in his tracks. He took a few steps further before he realized that the skull kid had stopped. He stopped, too, and turned around. Skull Kid's head was tilted downwards, and his hands had been balled into fists.

"...I have... a long time ago..." His voice came out barely louder than a whisper.

"Is that how you know about things like Gorons and stuff?"

Skull Kid responded by shifting on his feet slightly and nodding.

"What was it like, when you left?"

Skull Kid tilted his head back up. "Can... can we talk about this some other time? I promise I'll tell you some day but... not today. I'm not ready to talk about it."

Link started to open his mouth to say something more but decided not to press the matter and shut it again, responding with a nod. He instead turned and began to walk in silence, Skull Kid following a few steps behind.

* * *

Soon, the entrance to Goron City Loomed in front of them, a rocky overhang blotting out the sky as they approached. Link felt like he should be excited, getting to see the friendly Gorons again. But something felt... off. Like something was missing. As he dwelled on this uncomfortable feeling, he began to piece together what the problem was. For one thing, it was quiet. Even if they were still right outside the city, he felt like they should have heard _something_ from the normal hustle and bustle. Screams of laughter and joy, music, idle chatter, _anything_.

But instead, an eerie silence permeated the area, save for a distant roll of thunder.

He hesitated at the huge cave entrance, staring down into the dimly lit pathway inside. Suddenly, he remembered one of the things Sheik had said. He said they hadn't heard from the Gorons in nearly a month. He wasn't sure how long a month was, but he was clued in enough to work out that it was a concerning amount of time, based on Sheik's tone.

For just a second, he glanced back to Skully, but his friend didn't seem nearly as worried. To be fair, he hadn't been here before - or at least not in a long time, if his story about leaving the forest was true. So maybe he had nothing to worry about either?

Unfortunately, he became less and less certain as they headed inside.

There wasn't a single Goron in sight, and no sounds of any living being. To make matters worse, the city clearly showed signs of struggle. As they slowly made their way down the steps towards the bottom of the chamber, they passed by craters, drag marks, gouges and gashes in the wall, and ashen scorch marks, as well as the occasional decomposing form of a lizalfos.

Something terrible happened here.

By the time they reached the bottom, they'd yet to come across a single living soul. Disturbed, Link made a beeline towards Darunia's chambers, only to find the entrance sealed tightly shut, just as it had been the last time Link had come.

"Well, now what?" Skull Kid grumbled, kicking the door.

Link tried thinking back to his last visit. "Well… let me try something." He reached into his bag and, after a second of hesitance, pulled out the Ocarina of Time. This had worked last time, so surely it was worth a try again, right?

Without even warming up, he jumped right into Zelda's Lullaby, having memorized it well enough by now that he could repeat it effortlessly. He played through it not once, not twice, but three times with a small pause after each one to see if anything would change. But the door never opened. Goron City truly seemed to be abandoned.

Frustrated, he stashed the ocarina away again and spun, halfheartedly kicking a pebble while he tried to think. If the Gorons weren't here, how was he supposed to figure out where to go next?

He looked back up, letting out a sigh, and turned his attention towards the stairs back up.

And just happened to catch a glimpse of a figure staring from the stairway. They froze as he locked eyes with them, let out a choking, panicked noise, and turned to run away, stumbling up the stairs.

"Wait!" Link called out, beginning to give chase. The stranger did not wait; as he reached the steps, he could hear them let out a swear as they tripped up the stairs above him.

"Hey, come on!" he heard Skull Kid call out above him. He must have warped up in hopes of cutting the fleeing figure off.

It gave Link just enough time to catch up.

Surrounded, the stranger - which Link could now see was a rather small Goron - dropped and curled into a ball and cried out, "No! Don't eat me please! I don't taste good!"

"Eat you?" Skull Kid repeated. "Ew. No way! We only eat sensible things like nuts and berries and insects!"

That caused the Goron to take pause. When no one made a move to attack him, he hesitantly began to uncurl and got a better look at the two strangers. He spent a particularly long time staring at Link, squinting in the dim lighting until suddenly his face lit up.

"Hey, wait a minute! I know who you are! You're Link, the Dodongo Slayer!"

Link and Skull Kid exchanged a quick look, Skully silently asking the question of what that was all about. Link opened his mouth to say something, but the Goron kept talking before he had a chance to.

"Oh, this is so cool, I finally get to meet you! And you look just like all the stories my dad told me. Oh! I didn't even introduce myself. My name is Link, too! My dad, Darunia, named me after you! I should get your autograph. I know! you could sign the rocks on my back! 'To Link, my biggest fan. From Link, the Dodongo Slayer!' Yeah, that would look so cool!"

Link tried to interrupt to point out that he didn't even know how to _read_ , let alone write, but there was no stopping the excited Goron once he started.

"Dad's gonna be so excited to see you when he gets back. Come on, I should take you to where everyone is hiding. That's where he'd come to. Unless... Oh! Are you here to help us again, Dodongo Slayer Link?"

Finally, the Goron Link quit talking, instead expectantly looking at the skull kid Link. He stared back for just a moment, trying to figure out how to form his thought. "I… am... I think? I only just got here. I don't even know what's going on. Where is everyone?"

For just a fraction of a second, the Goron faltered. But it didn't last for long. "Oh, you probably haven't heard what happened yet, then. Come on, I'll take you to where everyone else is, follow me!" Without waiting for an answer, the Goron Link curled back into a ball and began to roll off, Leaving Skull Kid and the other Link to follow.

They made their way back around the circular path, heading to the far side of the chamber. Here, the Goron paused at a small indentation in the wall, tapping on it in a particular rhythm. There was a moment of silence, and then, to the two forest spirit's surprise, the rock seemed to split, opening up into a small chamber. A single Goron greeted them on the other side, eying the trio over before allowing them in, pushing a rock behind them to cover the entrance.

This Goron, too, seemed to recognize Link, but only greeted him with a curt nod before crossing to a second boulder. This one was also rolled aside, revealing a slightly larger, warmly lit chamber.

Inside Link counted perhaps a dozen Gorons, far less than what he'd seen the last time he was here. A few woven mats had been scattered about the room, giving them a place to rest, and luminous stones gave the room just enough light for everyone to see, casting the room in a pale-blue glow.

"Well, this is it," Goron Link announced with a gesture. "Welcome to our... dad calls it our refuge. These are the last of the free Gorons."

Skull kid Link tilted his head. This was so few... "What happened?"

"Ganondorf happened," one of the other Gorons growled sullenly. "He... did something to the Heart of the Mountain. Woke him. Enlisted his help, as well as the monsters lying deep below."

"Woah, woah. Slow down," Skully said, holding his hands up. "You can't just jump right into that. What's 'The Heart of the Mountain?'"

"A powerful dragon spirit that had laid dormant for centuries," another Goron answered. "Or at least, that's what the legends say."

"Bah! Legends!" another spat. "Forget Legends. You saw that thing with your own two eyes! That dragon led the charge, brought the monsters right into the heart of the city!"

"We should have driven the lizalfols out before they had a chance to organize like this," another Goron said. "Especially after what happened in Dodongo's Cavern!"

Link, listening to all this talk of monsters, shifted uncomfortably but said nothing.

"Darunia managed to get a few of us that aren't fighters hidden away. But most of our people were captured, and Darunia himself only barely managed to escape with his life!"

"Not that it matters. The dragon came back a few days later and issued an ultimatum. He has until the next full moon to turn himself over. If he does, our people will go free, and only his life will be forfeit. But if he doesn't, the dragon said he'd... h-he'd." The Goron's eyes went wide, and he fell silent, too horrified to finish his sentence.

Another finished the sentence for him. "He said that he would begin eating our captured brothers. He plans to make an example of us, show the rest of the peoples of Hyrule what happens when you try to cross Ganondorf.

An uncomfortable silence filled the room, leaving the thought hanging in the air.

Link broke the silence eventually. "So... what did Darunia do?"

"He's been hard at work trying to figure a way to save everyone. He left yesterday, saying he had a plan. He didn't tell us what it was, though."

"And how long does he have to decide?" Skull Kid asked.

"Tomorrow night is the full moon."

An uneasy silence filled the room as the remaining Gorons shared uneasy glances with each other. Finally, Goron Link broke the silence. "If Dad doesn't figure things out soon..."

Whatever else he was going to say, he didn't get a chance to. There was a loud crash from outside, a blast strong enough to make the room shake, bits of loose stone and dirt cascading from the ceiling above them. The Goron's fell silent, instinctually curling up into balls, while the two forest spirits covered their ears.

When nothing else bad happened right away, one Goron gave the others an uneasy look. "I'm going to check out what happened. Everyone else stay here and stay silent."

Skull kid Link immediately stepped forward. "I'll go with you."

The Goron stared at him for a few seconds but relented. "Fine. Just stay close, brother."

Brother. That one word managed to put a bit of happy warmth in Link's chest. Bring a little bit of brightness back to his mood. But he said nothing, and only stepped forward. One of the Gorons rolled the boulder away so that they could pass through, then pushed it shut again, but not before Skully scurried out after the two. Now in the outer room, they pushed the secret alcove entrance open as quietly and carefully as possible.

Although the lighting was dim, as the trio approached the edge of the path, they could make out a humanoid form at the bottom of the chamber, metallic armor glinting in the low light. Around him, a crater far too big for his stature had formed, with no indication as to how.

Suddenly, the man's head snapped up. Link could tell that he was staring right at the three of them. He stared for a few seconds longer, then turned his head and began to bellow at the top of his lungs.

"Darunia! Show yourself, you coward! The moon will soon be full! Come out and face me, or else prepare for your people's demise!"


End file.
